Twenty-six-year-old Sakshi used to walk for 20-25 minutes to reach her home from Delhi's Fortis Hospital up to the Sukhdev Vihar area.
Usually, she would reach home around 8 pm. But on June 26, it was a rainy day and the street was almost empty.
Promptly, she felt a motorbike was following her. Within a minute, bikers tried to snatch her bag, and gold chain that she was wearing around her neck.
Sakshi not just managed to resist those bikers but also managed to get the culprits arrested with her wits and reflexes.
Speaking with Sputnik, she said that snatching and eve-teasing are normal incidents in the city.
"Four years back, when I took up my first job in a beauty parlor, and boys used to stand outside our shops, I did not have enough courage to question those boys. However, the parlor owner was very outspoken and scolded those miscreants. Seeing her, I realized she was not doing a very big task, But I didn't even have enough courage to question those guys."
"Once, a lady from Delhi Police visited our parlor and then introduced us to Delhi Police women's self-defense training programming -- Sasakti (Strength). I wanted to join that program -- for myself for morale boosting and make myself feel secure," she explained.
"I felt the need to learn to protect myself," the Delhi woman added.
How Widespread is Violence Against Women?
As per 2022 data, around 752 snatching incidents are reported every month in Delhi. In more than 60 percent of cases, women are the victims.
However, experts have estimated that unofficially, snatching incidences may be as high as at least 3,000 a month as most of them go unreported.
In its annual report in 2022, Delhi Police likewise said that it reported more cases of rape, molestation, kidnapping, and cruelty by husbands compared with 2021. Between January and June last year, 2,197 such cases were reported.
What Do Police Teach During Self Defense Training Program?
The self defense program is usually a 10 -15 training program in which police officers from SPUWAC train women in parks, school students, office-goers, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Renu Lata told Sputnik.
"We're basically teaching them how to protect themselves in case of any untoward incidents, exercises and lately, we're telling them about cyber-crime and legal awareness," Lata explained. "Anyone women aged 5 to 70 years can join us," she said, adding to date that they trained more than a million women in Delhi.
The senior police officer explained that their work is not just limited to a self-training program. The participants at the camp also receive training in cyber security, various laws and ways to tackle crimes, and effective communication with the police.
Tanya Dimri at Navyug School, Delhi
© Sputnik / Deexa Khanduri
Tanya Dimri, a student at the Navyug School in the Lodhi garden area who also joined Sashakti, said it was important for women to defend themselves as they could be caught in a difficult situation at any time.
Gunjan Kapoor at Navyug School, Delhi
© Sputnik / Deexa Khanduri
Another student who participated in the training, Gunjan Kapoor, said, "The 10-day self-defense training helped me gain self-confidence. Besides, it teaches us how to fight any situation even with our pins, hairclips or safety pin."
Bharti Sijwali, who has been training students in different schools in Delhi for the past six years, said it was absolutely essential for women to know the basics of self-defense.
"During the 10-day camp, we ensured the students learned a mix of Judo, Taekwondo, and Karate. They were taught how to tackle sudden unwarranted situations in public places or public transport," Sijwali explained.