Violence against women limits education, jobs and freedom: Rahul Gandhi

Violence is used in society to prevent women, the country's biggest asset, from progressing and 80 per cent of them face harassment, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said.

The women should stand for themselves and believe in themselves, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said at his party's youth outreach programme 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' in Pune on Saturday.

Students interacting with Gandhi highlighted how sexual harassment, concerns over personal safety, lack of safe public transport and financial constraints continue to affect women's access to education and economic independence.

The Congress MP listed "three forms of violence against women -- physical violence, violence through denial of opportunities, economic violence".

Nearly 450,000 female foeticides take place every year, 80 per cent of women encounter harassment, 29 per cent endure physical violence and 6 per cent face rape, he said, claiming that 99 per cent of incidents of sexual violence are not reported because of fear of social stigma.

About 50 per cent of women are denied opportunities for education or employment in the name of safety. Women have to spend an additional Rs 17,500 every year in the name of safe travel, Gandhi said.

Women face restrictions in several ways, he said, claiming that 60 per cent of them cannot go outside their homes alone.

"A boy is allowed to go out anytime and can come late, but you girls have to come back by 8 pm. Boys can go for any exams multiple times, but for girls, they get only one attempt. They are told it is their marriage time and no need to go for the exam," he said.

While 45 per cent of women have to leave education or work because of marriage or household responsibilities, only 8 per cent own land, he stated.

Highlighting disparity in households, Gandhi said women in the age group of 15 to 29 work 5.5 hours at home, while in the same house, boys work only 30 minutes.

As many as 84 per cent of women need their family's permission to take up employment, he said, adding that women earn 25 per cent less than men and do not get promotions easily.

Suchitra Pagi, an economics student from Vasai in Maharashtra's Palghar district, recounted incidents of harassment she faced as a 13-year-old while walking home from school and later while travelling on public transport.

She said the experiences instilled a fear of men in her, but stressed that not all men are the same and urged people to intervene when they witness a woman being harassed.

Pagi also appealed to women and men to support victims instead of remaining silent spectators.