80% Women Face Harassment, Claims Rahul Gandhi at Pune Outreach

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has said violence, social restrictions and economic barriers continue to limit women’s progress, calling them the country’s “biggest asset”.

Addressing the Congress youth outreach programme ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ in Pune on Saturday, Gandhi urged women to stand up for themselves and believe in their abilities. Students interacting with him highlighted sexual harassment, unsafe public transport, financial constraints and limited access to education.

Gandhi described three forms of violence against women physical violence, denial of opportunities and economic violence. He claimed that 80 per cent of women encounter harassment, while 29 per cent face physical violence and six per cent experience rape. He further claimed that 99 per cent of sexual violence incidents go unreported due to social stigma. The 80 per cent harassment figure was presented by Gandhi as part of the statistics he cited during the interaction; it was not identified as a finding from a specific survey or study in his remarks.

Gandhi also linked women’s safety with their freedom of mobility, arguing that safety restrictions can themselves become barriers to education and employment. He claimed about 50 per cent of women are denied opportunities in the name of safety, while women spend an additional Rs 17,500 annually on safe travel. He also said 60 per cent cannot go outside their homes alone.

The discussion comes against the backdrop of India’s push for greater women’s political representation. The Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 provides for one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, though its implementation is linked to the delimitation process following a future census.

Students also shared personal experiences. Economics student Suchitra Pagi spoke about harassment during travel and urged bystanders to support victims. Psychology student Maitri said safety concerns discourage rural families from sending daughters for higher education.

BSc student Pradnya Gavande highlighted the cost of specialised courses and concerns over AI-generated obscene images and cyber extortion, calling for scholarships, affordable education and stronger cyber awareness.