Because true change begins with accountability.
The Silent Fear Women Live With
If you’re a woman living in Delhi or, more specifically, in Dwarka, you’ve likely been told to “be careful” more times than you can count. Don’t stay out too late. Don’t wear that. Don’t walk alone. It’s exhausting. But what’s more exhausting is how the burden of safety is always placed on women, not the people who actually create the danger.
When we talk about women’s safety in Delhi, we often focus on self-defence classes, safety apps, and curfews. But these are reactions to a problem, not solutions. It’s time we stop asking women to fix what men have broken.
Why Sensitizing Men and Boys Is No Longer Optional
Let’s be honest, boys don’t just “turn bad” one day. They grow up watching, listening, and learning from the world around them. From the way their fathers speak to their mothers to how their friends joke about women on WhatsApp, they’re picking up cues.
The truth is: safety starts with men unlearning the entitlement they’ve inherited and boys being taught that respect isn’t optional. And yet, in most conversations about women’s safety, men are rarely even in the room.
This has to change.
Changing the Narrative Starts at Home
The streets of Dwarka, Delhi, aren’t unsafe because women are out late. They’re unsafe because some men feel it’s okay to harass, stalk, or intimidate women. That thinking doesn’t begin on the streets; it begins in homes where boys are not corrected when they joke about consent or dismiss a girl’s discomfort.
If we want safer cities, we need to raise boys who don’t just respect women in theory but in everyday behaviour.
What Real Male Responsibility Looks Like
Here’s what we need from the men around us:
- Call out inappropriate behaviour — even if it’s your friend.
- Listen to women — don’t dismiss their fears or experiences.
- Set an example — especially if you’re raising sons.
- Get involved — safety walks, community awareness drives, school talks. It matters.
Sandhya Singh: Putting Responsibility Where It Belongs
Sandhya Singh, who works tirelessly for women’s safety in Dwarka, Delhi, says it clearly — women don’t need more rules; men need more accountability. Through her foundation, she leads awareness programmes that target not just women but boys, men, and families. Because real change happens when everyone is part of the conversation, not just those suffering the consequences.
Her efforts highlight a powerful truth: women’s safety is not a women’s burden; it’s society’s shared responsibility, and men must carry their share.
Enough Tips for Women. It’s Time for Action from Men
So the next time we discuss women’s safety in Delhi, let’s not talk about what women should do. Let’s ask what men have done or failed to do.
Because if men continue to stay silent, nothing changes. But if they start speaking up, teaching better, and holding each other accountable, maybe — just maybe — our daughters won’t have to grow up carrying fear like a second skin.
Women’s safety in Delhi isn’t just a campaign. It’s a call for everyone to finally show up.
