Eve teasing is a euphemism for sexual harassment of females by males in public areas. This aggression differs in severity from mild brushing and taunts to the more serious groping in public areas. Some human rights organizations have been at the forefront lobbying against the use of this term. They argue that the term makes a serious infringement on women rights to appear innocuous. The challenge that faces victims of eve teasing is how to prove that a total stranger has sexually harassed them. It is becoming increasingly difficult to prove such crimes because offenders have found clever ways of harassing women.
There are many tourist guide books that warn foreign women to avoid attracting attention from perpetrators of these crimes by dressing conservatively. However, both tourists and Indian women are harassed regardless of what they are wearing. The number of women’s organizations working for women rights in India has gone up. Victims of this crime can seek recourse in court. Perpetrators of these crimes are punished by imprisonment, fines or both.
