Reclaim night, cops encourage women on social media
Times of India | 5 March 2025
Kolkata: The Bengal Police have some definite messages for everyone this Women's Day. Reclaiming the Night should not just be confined to outdoors but equally indoors, they have stated.
International Women's Day is on March 8 and to mark the occasion, we have created a short video series titled ‘Be the Change!' The series includes short videos that aim to raise awareness about issues affecting women," said an additional director general.
The first video, uploaded this Monday, shows a cop seeing two women chatting at a tea shop around 10:30 pm. He initially glares at them as he looks at his watch. But then, he breaks into a smile, asking them to continue, while slowly walking back to his vehicle. Coming months after the Reclaim the Night protests following the RG Kar rape and murder, the importance of the message could hardly be lost.
The second video, uploaded on Tuesday, calls on all men to be agents of change, perhaps by starting small, like preparing a meal if the woman of the house returns late or is tired after work. The video shows the man of the house not questioning why his wife was late. Instead, he is seen serving food and boasting about how he was called a "chef" during his college days.
For a force that's often criticised for failing to address the real concerns of women and often being straightjacketed in their response, the cops at Bhawani Bhawan took to their Facebook page in the past 48 hours to post these videos.
"It's good that Bengal Police is promoting a message like this. It can be called a positive step, but it still is an alternative reality," said Somen Das, assistant professor of Sociology at Asutosh College.
According to sociologists, in cases of violence against women, moral policing has always been a major problem, but a video with a message showing a police officer encouraging women to claim public space at night is one step in the right direction. "But then the effectiveness of such a video can only be judged on whether the same takes place on a real-time basis. Actions must back the words," said Das.
The videos have garnered over a thousand shares and 150 comments. While several called it a great initiative, others called it a ‘work in progress.' "The night belongs to everyone. Let the night be safe. We will act like responsible citizens, and you will fulfil your duties...Mutual cooperation is desired," wrote Silajit Das. "One can only hope that men take note of the message," said Madhurima Sarkar on Facebook.