College students shared their daily fears and anxieties related to feelings of insecurity with the publication Aaj Tak. One student stated that the bus she uses to commute to college in the morning is completely unsafe. Women constantly have to remain on high alert to avoid unwanted touching.
In connection with the DUSU elections, one student accused participants in protests of making offensive comments. A video is also circulating on social media allegedly showing a police officer hugging a suspect.
Students also raised the issue of the normalization of sexual violence in educational institutions. A student from Himachal Pradesh, who came to Delhi to study, reported that the behavior of a bus conductor caused her discomfort.
Many students claim they do not feel safe even within their university campus. After an incident in Delhi, one student showed on camera how she shared her real-time location with a guardian while traveling to a protest site in the North Campus.
Students also expressed concern about the unevenness of police patrolling in different areas of Delhi, questioning the security system in outlying areas. Students from the DU college in Ritala mentioned that passing through poorly lit streets presents a daily serious problem.
One woman described the uncertainty women experience even during ordinary physical contact. If a man passes by and touches her, she does not know if it was accidental or intentional, but this very uncertainty can cause a feeling of vulnerability.
