Is the Delhi Government promoting moral policing in the name of health education? That is the question to which women activists and students have demanded an answer, pointing to the Delhi Government roadside banners that blame “immoral sex” for cervical cancer.
Stating that these banners are an “insensitive” attempt by the Delhi Government to create awareness about cervical cancer, a Jawaharlal Nehru University student Radhika said: “These banners that have been placed at various places in Delhi are for public education, but to state that ‘immoral sex’ is responsible for cervical cancer in women is tactless and highly offensive.’’
Demanding that the Delhi Government stop worrying about women’s morality and implement the Justice Verma Committee recommendations to protect women’s autonomy and their right to be free and safe, Ms. Radhika added: “The banner advertisement has images of people kissing and a skirt-clad girl being stalked by a man. Why is the Delhi Government promoting moral policing in the name of health education; why is it confusing consensual kissing on the one hand and stalking on the other with ‘immoral sex’, and why is it preaching morality to women?’’A senior Hindi language expert in the Capital said: “This advertisement definitely sounds more of moral policing than telling the people the actual cause of cervical cancer or explaining to them the means of prevention. In fact there are many advertisements which can sound very offending which have been around for a long time. People who are writing these advertisements have to re-learn to be sensitive about the issue and bring out just facts.’’
“Known causes of cervical cancer include Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection which is a sexually transmitted virus, having many sexual partners, becoming sexually active early, smoking, weakened immune system, giving birth at a very young age, several pregnancies and long term use of contraceptive pill,’’ noted gynaecologist at Sunrise Hospital in Kalindi Colony Dr. Nikita Trehan.
