Surveys of various kinds can be based either on available facts and statistics, or on perceptions, or an intelligent mix of both. The NARI 2025 Report that places Dehradun as among the ten most dangerous places for women in the country is entirely based on opinions received over telephone calls on various aspects of women’s safety. Herein lies the rub.
It is important for surveyors to have a baseline upon which such questions are asked. There cannot be commonality among Indian women regarding the environment that they exist in. For instance, in a more educated and sophisticated environment, women may have a much higher standard regarding safety – they may feel offended if a man brushes past them in a bus or in the street. Women in the crowded environs of a metropolis may consider this a ‘common’ occurrence, as the challenges they face are more severe.
There are towns where conservative norms are generally accepted, and women abide by them as a matter of course. In such circumstances, they may feel safer, as they do not have much interaction with others outside of their limited environment. On the other hand, those in a city where women step out of their homes just as do men, the chances of facing unpleasant experiences proportionally increase. So, if the two sets of women are questioned about how safe they feel, what is going to be the likely answer? And will it be scientifically correct?
Ideally, if perceptions are to be obtained, these should be from women in similar circumstances. That, of course, is a very difficult task. It is easier if the actual crime figures of a city are obtained in the various categories and questions framed in their context. For instance, in a city where women are living and working in a more open society, they should be asked how much the system caters to their safety. If they report a crime, is it registered? Do the police respond and act with the required speed? Do they face misogyny in their interactions with officialdom? In the case of women in a village the questions would be different if there is to be clarity in the outcome.
Statistics, on the other hand, would provide a clearer picture. Even if a survey is perception- based, since they do matter, the responses should be recorded and analysed in a sectored manner. If perceptions matter, consider how shocked the people of Doon are at being placed in the top ten ‘women-unfriendly’ cities of the country!
