Female students locked in hostels to avoid harassment during Holi festival in Delhi

• Two women’s hostels at the University of Delhi were put on lockdown over the Holi holiday out of safety fears.
• India’s minister for women argued the restrictions were necessary to defend against consequences of “hormonal outbursts.”
• Women have long reported being sexually assaulted during the festival, but some activists expressed outrage at women’s rather than men’s mobility being targeted as a response.

Read

“Holi festival: Delhi women forced into lockdown amid sexual harassment fears” (The Guardian | March 2017)

“Delhi University hostels ‘lock up’ girls on Holi” (The Asian Age | March 2017)

“Delhi University hostels prohibit women students from playing Holi outside the premises” (International Business Times | March 2017)

(Image Credit: Reuters, via International Business Times)