Lusaka women bemoan verbal harassment

Wom en in Lusak ah ave com plai ned ove r con tinued ve rbal

haras sment on streets an d ta bus stat ion s byc al l boys . ByN ATION REPORTER

WO MEN in Lusaka have com plai ned ove r con tinued ve rbal har as sment on streets an d at bus stat ion s byc al l boys .

The women have called for Tuick intervention by police

In seap rate int ervi ews, som e women demande d a stop to beha vi our of the call boys .

The y said wom en ha d a facilities.

One of the vi ctims, Ms Mercy Moyo describe d the be ha vi our the call boys as “deva statingf or ms of ge nde r ba sed vi ol enc e.”

She obs erve d tha t ve ry little attent ion was be ing directed tow ards the matter, be cause many pe opl e vi ewed ha rassment as a minor issue.

“9erbal harassment is rarely talked about, yet a lot of women face it on a daily ba sis espe cially at bus stations . I ha ve be en a vi ctim count less times and I can assure you tha t it limits one 's mobi lity and access topubl ic facilities.

“It is a for m of ge nde r vi ol enc e and it's a hum an right whi chh as tobe stope d, it’s tot ally wrong,” she said.

Anot he r victim was Suwilanj i Nalwimba, called on law enf or cers to take the issue more seriously and ensure that stern action was taken against perpetrators

“There is need for the police to scale up and fine the culprits, because if such action is taken, women won¶t have to go through such ha rassment on the streets instead the y will be respe cted,” she said.

How eve r, som e men bl amed the wom en for beha vi our be cause of the ir seductive attire.

Mr. Geor ge Banda not ed tha t many wom en were ha rassed be cause of impr ope r dressing.

Mr. Banda said mos t wom en wor e seductive attractingm ent o ha rass the m.

“Som e women cause thi s on the mselve s; the y put on reve aling clot he s, tha t’s why the y are ha rassed espe cially by call boys . I don’ t think someone who¶s decently dressed would e[perience that,´ he said.

And Wom en and Gende r activist Betty Mumba conde practice, adding tha t wom en ha d the right to be safe on just as men.

Ms Mumba urge d releva nt author for pe rpetrator s.

“Gove rnm ent must put up a stiff law tha t will he lp in addressing thi s issue, be cause it’s now be com ing a nor mal thi ng, whi ch shoul dn’ t be the case be cause it is tot ally wrong. Wom en ne ed to feel safe and free to walk on the streets without fear of being harassed,´ she said right to enj oy equa l access to publ ities to impos s vi ol ation enc our agi ng clot he s, e toughe the ic of the he nc e mne d the the streets r pe na lties