Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): About 100 women survivors of domestic violence took part in a campaign, Meet to Sleep, at Mayur Park in the city on Sunday to overcome the hesitation of women sleeping at public places. The participants in the age group 15-50 brought rug, bedsheet with them and lied down and slept in the park.
After that, they shared their experiences. Some of them also brought lunch from home and shared it in a group. Besides, they took part in a painting contest themed on Human Rights Day.
They painted their feelings on papers with slogans like Stop Rape, Stop Violence, Human Rights, Shakti, Nari Suraksha, Nari Samman, Nari Swamlamban. Sandhya Chauhan (45) said that she reached at 11 am after completing her household chores.
“We enjoyed a lot, especially painting. It was like a picnic for us,” she said. “It was my first experience sleeping at a public place. It was amazing,” said Vandna Rajput, who is pursuing master’s degree in social work, adding, “If men can sleep in public places, then why can’t women do it?”
ActionAid and Gauravi Sakhi One Stop Centre had organised the campaign, Meet to Sleep to make women feel safe at public places in Indore and Bhopal for the first time.
It was an initiative to protest against gender-based violence. The drive was launched by Black Noise, an organisation in Bengaluru, in memory of Jyoti Singh (Nirbhaya) who was gang-raped and murdered in New Delhi on December 16, 2012.
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