Eve teasing

Whenever the issue of 'eve-teasing' comes up, men usually comment that modern women 'crave' for it. Then they boldly add that the kind of clothes women wear these days in public places invite harassment. The question generally arises what do women wear in public places? Other than few exceptions in the posh zones, what do women wear in public places? Fourteen female students committed suicides in Bangladesh in the last few months. They were teased, harassed verbally and physically while they were going to their educational institutions. If indecent clothing is the reason, then can someone answer how these unfortunate girls wearing school uniform provoke men ?
In reality, the men in our region are 'pampered' culturally and socially to the extent that most suffer from superiority complex. Other than the female family members, in most cases they don't hesitate to show disrespect towards the rest of the species either by words or deeds. Furthermore, movies and TV often present eve teasing or stalking as mode of convincing the beautiful tender females to accept love proposals. If girls refuse to accept love/indecent proposals, the men become verbally and physically abusive as if the women have no right to choose what they want. They are 'lucky' enough that they were proposed and so they are bound to accept it or face the consequences. The men have seen the 'game of love' to be played in this manner by other male acquaintances always around them and never a question was raised. The shame and humiliation women face either force them to become vocal and be subject to more harassment or they remain mum and suffer silently as they know there is no remedy. Even the guardians often overlook it as a normal social phenomenon that all adolescent girls and women face in the hands of the 'fun-loving' men.
With opportunities to pursue education and seek employment, more and more women are venturing out of their houses even in the rural areas to build a good life. Whereas the material and visible changes might seem impressive, the social and mental acceptability is declining. The legal/educational institutions are not equipped enough to recognize or address such acts. Moreover, till the reports of female students committing suicides were all over the press, it did not seem like 'eve-teasing' was even in the list of crimes for the police. There are numerous news reports where the police at first refused to take any complaints or actions.
Many civil society organizations are conducting advocacy and awareness programmers against the eve teasing. In different cities of India a number of young women volunteers have been, in protest of the male's typical accusation and eve teasing, stacking up the usual female wears such as dupattas, sarees, churidars, school uniforms etc on display along roadside. The women belong to Blank Noise Project, a community-public art project, which aims to change the common perspective that women invite to be 'teased' or 'harassed'.
The existing laws need to be revised to address the present situation. Exemplary punishments to the perpetuators can prevent the crime up to a level but ultimately it is the behavioral change that can provide a lasting solution to it. It is essential that men realize that women have a right to walk freely and independently as they do.