Homicides Of Women In Public Spaces Of Tamil Nadu: Is Threat To Women’s Freedom?

Abstract

In patriarchal Indian society women and girls are facing different forms oppressions and violence both in public and private spheres irrespective of their caste, class, gender, religion, region and creed. This has been in increasing trend and evidentially reported by various print and electronic media. The patriarchal social-cultural factors that predominantly playing the role to make the women and girls feels insecure. Cutting across caste, class, region and religion, women are facing continuous and different forms of violence in public spaces, including public transport, railway station, bus stand, markets, roads, parks, educational institutions, and worshiping places etc., unlike men, women experience the public spaces differently.  Although a city belongs to those men and women who live there, women’s access is limited due to the unsuitability of public places. This means most women restrict their movements or activities because they feel unsafe. This feeling acts as a way of socially controlling women’s freedom of choice. Recently occurred homicides in Chennai, Thoothukudi, Karur, Coimbatore of Tamil Nadu state has created fear of psychosis among women and parents about public safety of women and girls. Also, these incidences reflect the society’s misogyny and double standardness in women’s empowerment in one hand; the other hand questioning/controlling the women’s rights and freedom of choice, expressions, mobility, decision making and autonomy which are crucial for gender equality. With this background this paper explores the causes and consequences of violence against women in public place, role state and its public safety policies particularly four major homicides by using content analysis of popular mainstream dailies published in Tamil Nadu.