Hi junta
My 2 cents.
More than the cheap media & stuff, one thing that has really contributed to the sexual harrasment thing is the attitude towards women in general.
I believe even the average metro living individual still subscribes to the century old traditions and practises. Women are getting their rights but the indian soiciety has a long way to go before it can respect women in the same way. The reason a man can make lewd gestures and get away with it is coz he believes he is superior. There is still a lot of stigma attached to the girl child. It comes in packaged form nowadays like ' Take care of ur sister' or 'Ur Dad will pick u up' or Worse when an aunt remarks... 'Good now u hv a daughter.. Next we will hv a boy she can tie rakhi to':(
I hv seen numerous girls who hv done an engineering degree but do not take up jobs coz their parents dont allow it. Why?? Coz I believe the parents dont trust the outside world or they r not willing to overburden themselves with the added security thing.
The whole mentality has to change. I believe the sexual harrasment thing is an offshoot of this problem. The day the male realises he cannot make obscene gestures and just walk off, that he will be dragged down on the very spot , the problem will cease to exist.
It requires time. Centuries of blind faith cannot be wiped off in a few years...
Cheers
Varsha
Just my views. Comments r welcome. Pretty long post but just wanted to put my thoughts to words.