ABSTRACT
The research in this chapter aims to examine the extent of sexual harassment (SH) in public spaces post-Nirbhaya, an event that occurred in Delhi, India, in 2012, with a focus on victims, self-reported behaviors of offenders, and offenders’ male friends. More specifically, we examine the concordance rates between victims and offenders as well as offenders and their male friends’ SH offending patterns. Findings from a survey of 766 females and 629 males in the Delhi National Capital Territory suggest that 61 percent of women experienced one or more forms of sexual harassment, and 51 percent of men reported having engaged in one or more forms of these behaviors. Findings also suggest that although over 95 percent of the victims and offenders are aware of the Nirbhaya incident, more than half of them are not aware of the existence of laws that punish sexual harassment. Close to two-thirds do not believe the effectiveness of these laws and their enforcement. Policy implications are discussed and suggested, drawing from the findings of this research.
