Violence against women is growing out of control in the world, and existing policies and laws are not really effective in protecting them by preventing or avoiding all kinds of abuse and aggression by boyfriends, husbands or family members, which women always end up being blamed for at the end.
In 2006, Sampat Pal Devi formed a women’s vigilante group in the Banda district of Uttar Pradesh, India, to protect abused women villagers. The group calls itself the Gulabi Gang, which means ‘The Pink Gang’, thanks to the pink sari (traditional robe) worn by its members.
Its essence is to punish oppressive men and combat domestic violence. It also seeks to empower women of all castes, to protect them from domestic violence, sexual violence and oppression, to help them achieve economic freedom, education and autonomy.
Non-violent and violent tactics are used, because according to the aggressor’s behavior, so will be the intervention. For example, if they are minor offenders, they only receive a pedagogical talk to make them reconsider their attitudes; if they are serious offenders, they are shamed in public for refusing to listen or to give in; if the men use force, the women resort to their lathis (a traditional Hindu weapon similar to a broomstick). Violence only occurs in extreme cases as self-defense.
Statistically, the district of Uttar Pradesh has one of the highest rates of domestic and sexual violence against women, child marriage, mortality during childbirth and a low female literacy rate, all of which make women vulnerable.
Some members of the Gulabi Gang and the women they protect belong to lower castes in a region characterized by government corruption, unfair distribution of resources and lack of educational opportunities.
The group has approximately 270,000 members, and women who want to join only have to pay a registration fee of 100 rupees. They always hope that when a woman receives support from the group, she will join so that, from her experience, she can contribute to the mission of continuing to help other abused women.
Although men are not allowed to be direct members of the gang, many villagers play an active supporting role, such as Jai Prakash Shivhari, who joined to stand in solidarity with the women and along with other men accompany them to meetings and protests for security reasons.
On March 2, 2014, Sampat Pal Devi was relieved of her position as head of the group amid accusations of financial irregularities and putting her personal interests before those of the members. Pal denied the allegations and still has a stake in the Gulabi Gang. Suman Singh Chauhan was elected as her replacement.
Another of the group’s main objectives is to promote women’s financial independence by supporting micro-enterprises that sell handmade products such as candles, pickles, organic fertilizer, etc. They have also promoted businesses such as wedding planning where they train women to offer catering services, tailoring, flower arrangements and henna tattoos.
The Gulabi Gang receives support from some companies such as Vitalect, specialized in technology and services, which works with non-profit organizations to help them with their technological needs; another is Social India (SSI), which promotes the stability of NGOs.
In addition to helping prevent abuse of women and children, domestic and sexual violence, sexual harassment and child marriage, they also contribute to improving the quality of life in many villages by donating food and pensions for widows who have no financial means.
As its founder states: “We are not a gang in the traditional sense, we are a gang in search of justice,” says Sampat Pal Devi.
Traducción del español: Catalina Oviedo Brugés
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