There was a need for such an association to address the issues faced by women journalists as none of them existed before.
AV spoke to few committee members of Women Journalists Association to know about why there is the need for a gender based association for women.
Manisha Gurav, the President of Women Journalists Association said, “Several women are being heckled in the Electronic and Print Media and they don’t have a voice for representing them. Whenever women go forward to file complaint about sexual harassment and threat received by them police hesitate to file a complaints. Even if they register complaint they don’t investigate the matter properly and don’t follow up the cases and the victim is denied justice. Recently, a woman journalist Manashree Pathak was assaulted, molested and abused by four to five goons at Vakola, Santacruz. Pathak was covering Santacruz cylinder blast story when the incident happened.”
“Our issues have to be addressed and taken up seriously and full protection should be offered to women journalists. The police should take cognizance and register FIR immediately if there is a serious matter. As a journalist in the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh there was an incident where I was heckled but the police didn’t take up the issue. The commissioner in the meeting agreed and has sent a memorandum to all police stations to this effect. He has also agreed to our request for us to meet up with the DCP every month and address all our grievances paving way for resolving cases urgently” she said.
Bhagyashri who is a treasurer with the association also had a bad experience while working with Sakal News. She said, “There is a need for the police to take up this cause, including offering protection to women reporters, sub-editors etc.”
Poonan Upraj, secretary of the association said, “When we try to cover festivals like Ganesh Utsav we are pushed around and abused by miscreants. We just want to be taken seriously and police must offer security to us when we file complaints with them. There was a need for such an association to address the issues faced by women journalists as none of them existed before.”