New Delhi - An overwhelming majority of women in India's national capital Delhi do not feel safe, according to a survey released by a city-based non-profit Friday. "Almost 96 per cent of the women in Delhi believe that women are not very safe in the city and 44 per cent of the abused respondents chose to remain silent after the incident," Lora Prabhu, director of the Centre for Equity and Inclusion (Cequin), was quoted as saying by IANS news agency.
The report by Cequin and the Centre for Media Studies was based on responses of 630 women in the age group 12-55 living across Delhi and belonging to different socio-economic backgrounds.
Three of delhi's busiest markets - Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place and Karol Bagh - and state-run buses were identified by respondents as some of the most unsafe places in the city.
About 60 per cent of those surveyed felt girls under 10 were most vulnerable to sexual harassment.
Bystanders rarely help a woman being harassed in a public place, according to 88 per cent respondents.
Only 19 per cent felt victims should report incidents to the police whom they said could not be trusted.
While there were laws to deal with crimes like rape, their implementation left much to be desired, Sara Pilot, Cequin's chairperson said
"If we as the citizens of India feel unsafe in Delhi, how can we make thousands of those coming from other nations during the 2010 Commonwealth Games feel safe and secure?" Pilot said.
The 2010 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to be held in October 2010.
Cequin's is running a "make Delhi safe for women" campaign with the government.
