Having spent the last 2 weeks at home in India, it was hard not to think about the stories of the various rape victims that have come to the fore.
There’s a long term problem that needs solving from the grass roots with better education, to start with. That said, there’s a short term need to reduce the threat to women. The statistics are disturbing. A group of friends have put together an initiative to hand women pepper sprays. In their words..
How is pepper spray the solution?
It is not. It is a stop-gap measure. We cannot solve rape by simply giving women a pepper spray. But we can reduce instances of it, especially on the road, in buses, in taxis. The ideal solution is to create a society that respects women, stringent law enforcement to scare wannabe assailants, and better access to mental health treatment. But that’ll take time. The people who can make this happen are the people often responsible for this problem in the first place. The best thing women can do, at an individual level, is to be armed with something that’ll allow them to fight back if they are targeted. Trust us, we are embarrassed to propose this as a solution. But this is the best thing women can do right now to protect themselves.
I have just donated US$20 to PepperthePigs for pepper sprays. All the best guys! It’s great that you’re taking a crack at solving the short term problem. I hope it helps..
A Learning a Day 