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I-Tutorial 101: What Is ‘Flashing’? Is That A Real Crime?

Written By: Sonali
November 13, 2020
  • Full Read
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It’s been more eight months since the lockdown, and we are pretty much getting into the new normal — but something that remained unchanged is the sexual abuse of most women by male abusers.

On November 08, when a Bengaluru based writer asked, “is flashing an offence in India?”, half of the Instagrammers got into a debate!

But what left me startled were the comments made by multiple people on the social media platforms — which showed me their instant disdain towards not only the womenfolk but also the fact that how many people are unaware of the basic form of sexual harassments and how, knowingly or unknowingly, they kept normalising a lot of them all this while.

Man Arrested For Flashing At Bengaluru Based Writer!

This incident which was first covered by us was later given limelight by a lot of digital media platforms, but the one thing that kept anguishing me was the constant contemptation by these men which eventually made me write this.

What is ‘flashing’?

First and foremost, for people asking, ‘yeh flashing kya hota hai’, here’s something you need to understand:

Flashing is a term coined for the act of showing/ revealing your ‘private parts’ to another person; this is something that’s done intentionally, and yes, this is an offence.

The Indian law doesn’t particularly cover the offensive, harassing and sexually abusive act of flashing or cyber-flashing but over time, the law authorities have shared their opinion and concern over this, and though the law doesn’t count it under a crime, there have been enough incidents where the offender have been punished or jailed for the same.

Source: Facebook Comments

Since the reported cases of such incidents are relatively low in our country, there hasn’t been enough legal developments, but the chances of meeting someone, especially a woman, who would have encountered such an incident at least once would be quite common.

And as if this wasn’t enough, ask any girl/ woman and most of them would probably have got a cyber-flashing story to tell — with social media users growing more than ever, several male users have been found sending unsolicited pictures of their genitalia, pornography or other sorts of visual sexually offensive images into women’s inboxes.

And oh, let me clear the fact that cyber flashing amounts to cyber sexual harassment!!

Is flashing a real crime?

Coming back to the objective of my writing; yes, flashing is an offence. “Such behaviour is a form of exhibitionism which derives pleasure from shocking and intimidating the other party,” says Pulkit Sharma, a clinical psychologist. “When they flash their private parts to someone, the expression of disgust and fear is turn on for these people. In India, girls are taught to hide their private parts, but men aren’t. By flashing, they give the message that they are not at all vulnerable, and the woman in the situation is!”

Source

In the cases reported before, the offenders have been put behind bars for a minimum of six months to upto two years. And though it leaves a lifelong traumatic impression on the victim, not everyone is convinced about the seriousness of the issue.

When singer and activist Chinmayi Sripaada had asked her female Twitter/ Instagram followers to share their experiences of being flashed, she was sent more than 600 responses in only a few days.

The demographics

Speaking of victims, school going, or teenage girls are often flashed. “School-going girls are less sexually experienced, and their reactions are way more pronounced than older women. So they are not only easy targets but also most targeted,” says the middle school counsellor Vandana Nangya.

Source: Facebook Comments

In fact, auto drivers flashing outside schools or on the routes to working women’s hostels is also very common. A lot of women faces these experiences on buses and trains too, which makes it more difficult for them to commute. Eventually, they either change their routes or jobs.

The outcasted response

Half of the janta doesn’t even know what ‘flashing’ means, and this shows the clear lack of awareness about the basic forms of harassments too.

Source: Facebook Comments

And these comments made by so many men would give you a clear idea of how lightly the society we live in take these issues.

Is this because they have been raised this way or because they weren’t taught about the disgust, the fear and the trauma it brings?

Source: Facebook Comments

And those arguing that women should also be punished for flashing themselves lack a clear sense of understanding. The victim could be of any gender and so can be the offender — what one must be concerned about is the offence. The psychology behind flashing is not just limited to the exposure of obscenity but also to the fact that the offender knows that he/ she could potentially get off it easily and safely — that’s how less it matters!

This is not about Milind Soman or Poonam Pandey — this is about the consent, about the etiquettes, about the correct psychology.

Our nation soon should come up with specific laws regarding flashing — in clear terms. And it won’t happen until the adequate amount of awareness is spread awareness among the masses about such forms of sexual harassment.

Until then, do not back out to report such cases — because every time you choose silence, someone else suffers!

PS: All the comments were screengrabbed within 12 hours of posting on the social media!

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flashingInfano OpinionnupuropinionSex Educationsexual abusesexual assault

Sonali

A 'non-9-5 desk job' ambivert geek who chooses her own audience, Sonali loves sharing stories and finding the corners where humanity still exists! She believes that every individual's story is unique and special. She loves writing about the untouched and unspoken segments of society. When not writing, you can find her listening to someone's stories or playing with dogs. Sonali values mental health and encourages people to speak their heart out!

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Opinion: Inclusive Menstrual Health Education In India!

Written By: Sonali
May 20, 2022 | 03:23 PM |
165

Highlights

  • Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM)
  • Lack of education leads to stigma
  • A vital chance to improve it
  • Quick Read
  • Full Read

Lack of education about menstruation is one of the drawbacks to achieving adequate menstrual hygiene worldwide. Schools offer an important chance to transform menstrual hygiene programs that will benefit young girls in the future.

According to the research, India is home to about 113 million young girls and around 54% of these girls are unaware of menstruation before they have their first period. Around 77% of people aren’t aware that the uterus is the source of the bleeding and only 45% consider that menstruation is normal and a vast majority of people observe religious, socio-cultural and food taboos during their menstruation. In 2015-16, the latest National Family Health Survey 4, India’s DHS reported that about 42.4% of young women, aged between 15 and 24 are still using unhygienic protection methods during their period.

Learn how inclusive menstrual health education in India can improve this situation!

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Lack of education about menstruation is one of the drawbacks to achieving adequate menstrual hygiene worldwide. Schools offer an important chance to transform menstrual hygiene programs that will benefit young girls in the future. 

According to the research, India is home to about 113 million young girls and around 54% of these girls are unaware of menstruation before they have their first period. Around 77% of people aren’t aware that the uterus is the source of the bleeding and only 45% consider that menstruation is normal and a vast majority of people observe religious, socio-cultural and food taboos during their menstruation. In total 70% of mothers consider menstruation to be polluting and dirty and around 63 million girls live in homes which lack bathroom facilities. 

Research from 2011 also suggested that in the country 88% of women and girls were using unhygienic, unsafe menstrual absorbents. Later, some progress was seen. 

In 2015-16, the latest National Family Health Survey 4, India’s DHS reported that about 42.4% of young women, aged between 15 and 24 are still using unhygienic protection methods during their period.

Lack of education leads to stigma

We can see a bright future for menstrual health education for all genders, but in the previous years when it wasn’t a priority, the adults needed to know about menstrual health later in their life. 

Monica Karpinski, founder and editor of The Femedic stated “I know from my world and my research that there is a huge education gap around menstruation. Menstruation is the second most popular category on our site behind sexual health. You can see a real appetite for information which communicates that education is not there to fill that gap.”

This education gap can have contagion effects. Lack of education on menstruation health and hygiene is an important foundation that will maintain the stigma around periods and it will affect a certain group of population. Premenstrual stress is also a domain around periods in which women faced stigma. The health and education of young people who menstruate can also get impacted by facing shame-inducing stigma. Period poverty can also add difficulties and hamper the lives and education of people menstruating. 

Mae Matauka, a founder of the Mino Period and a trustee of The Vagina Museum stated, “It is important to remember that period poverty is not confined to just access to menstrual products. It also includes having poor knowledge of menstruation. This goes to have a more open and frank conversation about menstruation and more information and resources that will help tackle the taboo, stigma and shame.”

If lack of education feeds stigma, you need to increase education around menstrual health and hygiene. Along with girls, including boys in these topics from a young age is great for creating a society free from period stigma and this will also improve scientific knowledge of how the body works. 

Kapinski agreed that teaching about menstrual health among all genders is important. She said, “Ideally, if this was being taught in school, you’d teach it in an inclusive way, so it wouldn’t be about genders, it would be about ‘this is what happens in this body part.”

Making clear, accessible menstrual health education is an important key to tackling period stigma, which is an obstacle to gender equality, improving lives and building knowledge. 

A vital chance to improve Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM)

Schools play a crucial role to address MHM comprehensively. So what about young girls and MHM in Indian schools? 

A systematic review on MHM in India stated that an estimated 60% of young girls are enrolled in about 1.4 million schools. Around 24% of school girls didn’t attend their school during periods and only 37% of girls changed their absorbents in school. 

Schools can be vehicles for the girl to change but they also serve to continue discrimination and stigma regarding menstruation. 

Modules for teachers and peer educators must be developed in school that will provide comprehensive information and essentials on menstruation and MHM. 

  • Safe, hygienic and functional toilets and separate toilets for girls
  • Water in toilet units for girls to wash their parts and menstrual absorbents
  • Provisions in toilet unit to hang and store belongings such as shelves and hooks
  • Proper dustbin for safe disposal of menstrual waste
  • Private and safe changing room or space
  • Soaps or liquids to wash hands

Through special programs, we can address detrimental social norms, provide girls education on menstrual health and hygiene, and access to a vast range of safe and hygienic menstrual absorbents and options for treatment of menstrual waste and safe disposal. Reach out to girls who are enrolled but do not attend schools or discontinue their education due to lack of knowledge and transform the menstrual health and hygiene landscape in India for a better tomorrow.

This #MenstrualHygieneDay, #Infano along with #TheLogicalIndian, is addressing nuanced conversations on period centering on the well being of the menstruators as they power through every day. Share your thoughts about inclusive menstrual health education in the comments because your views can trigger an important aspect that we all need to know and talk about! #IBleedMyWay #MHD2022

Inclusive Menstrual Health Educationmenstrual healthMenstrual Health EducationMenstrual Hygiene ManagementMenstruationPeriod PovertyPeriods

Sonali

A 'non-9-5 desk job' ambivert geek who chooses her own audience, Sonali loves sharing stories and finding the corners where humanity still exists! She believes that every individual's story is unique and special. She loves writing about the untouched and unspoken segments of society. When not writing, you can find her listening to someone's stories or playing with dogs. Sonali values mental health and encourages people to speak their heart out!

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