A two-day street festival, ‘Reclaim the night’, based on the theme of woman empowerment started at Ajmal Khan Road in Karol Bagh on Thursday evening.
“This is amazing. We do not stay out so late. We are [out] just because of this festival,” said 26-year-old Megha, an IRS officer, who had come to the market here with a woman named Aparna. “There are so many people here, it feels safe to just sit and chill,” she said. Most of the women who spoke to The Hindu said regular reports of rape and sexual assault have built a sense of fear among them, adding that they are afraid to step out at night.
“But one night like this cannot really change everything,” said Shilpa S., a student. “It’s scary for women to step out at night. The root cause of that has to be tackled. Maybe it’s not just about security and relevant laws, but also people’s mindset,” she added.
While some stores remained open till 11 at night, several of them had pulled down the shutters by 9.30 p.m. The crowd also started to thin out. Despite this, several shopkeepers continued to cater to those present at the spot to watch dance and other cultural performances that were being held as part of the festival.
Several men could be seen in considerably higher numbers at the site. Acknowledging this, Sarita Baloni from Jagori, one of the partners in the event said it was still an encouraging start. “Normally such events take place in the morning, it’s good to see so many women here at this time,” she said.
