Sri Lanka has topped the list of sexual harassment cases in the South Asian region especially relating to women being harassed in public transport, the Legal Aid Commission said yesterday.

Commission’s Chairman S. S. Wijeratne made this revelation while addressing the White Ribbon campaign that was held at Bastian Mawatha with the aim of stopping sexual harassment in public transport.

Referring to a journal report that published recently, Mr. Wijeratne said as Sri Lankans we should seriously be concerned about the matter. “Though the population in India is higher than Sri Lanka, incidence of sexual harassment in public transport is very much lower in India when compared to us.”
However, he said owing to several public awareness campaigns, there was a gradual decrease in such incidents in the recent past.

Mr. Wijeratne said the victimized women in public transport were reluctant to make complaints about the matter to bus conductors, bus drivers or to the police. “They used to bear the trauma without seeking legal assistance.

The LAC is ready to assist and appear on behalf of such victimized women in public transport. He further said the campaign against sexual harassment in public transport would be carried out until a proper environment for women was created in the country. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)

Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)