Assert Legal Rights: Women must actively use legal protections rather than enduring abuse in silence.
Reject Silence and Fear: Strong responses are necessary to challenge violence and break patriarchal mindsets.
Seek Support Systems: Victims should leverage institutional mechanisms, police women's cells, and legal aid.
Kerala State Women's Commission chairperson P Satheedevi has said violence and stalking against women are on the rise, and they need a strong legal response to it.
She was speaking after inaugurating a state-level stalking awareness seminar held at the VK Krishna Menon Memorial Women's College here on Monday, organised by the National Women's Commission and the State Women's Commission.
To provide a strong response to violence and stalking, legal awareness is essential, she said.
Despite equality being a fundamental right, it was a regrettable fact that even in this day and age, women are ignored and subjected to violence, she said.
Courage to open up and respond to such instances is required, Satheedevi added.
The women's commission chairperson further said that although many laws exist to protect them, women often remain silent for fear of speaking out, not knowing whom to approach for justice, and being afraid of how society will react.
She said that this was dangerous, as women face insecurity inside and outside the home and at the workplace.
She also cautioned women to carefully handle social media and new communication technologies.
Sinumol Thomas, Principal of V K Krishna Menon Memorial Women's College, who presided over the event, said that stalking was the biggest challenge facing the new generations.
She said that awareness was very helpful in fighting against this.
