Kerala Buffeted by Rising Wave of Public Obscenity, Indecency

Despite worrying numbers, glaring legal loophole continues to empower perpetrators

- POOJA NAIR @Kozhikode

What began as a routine weekend commute for Sreeja (name changed) from Kottiyam to Kollam on a KSRTC bus quickly devolved into a deeply distressing ordeal. Looking forward to reuniting with her family after a week of work, Sreeja found her journey abruptly interrupted by a man in his early 40s brazenly masturbating across from her, his gaze fixed on her.

Despite her profound discomfort, Sreeja, unwilling to let the incident pass, summoned the courage to capture the perpetrator's action on video. Her resolve stemmed from a fierce desire to expose a pervasive societal ill where victims, particularly women, are often blamed despite being the ones subjected to harassment. The incident echoed a recent online backlash against two sisters who were viciously trolled for slapping an elderly man who had allegedly groped one of them on a public bus.

These alarming occurrences highlight a disturbing trend in Kerala: a surge in public indecency, including public masturbation, flashing, and other obscene acts. Shockingly, instead of condemnation, such acts often seem to garner a perverse acceptance in certain sections of society.

District-wise data with the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) for May 2024-25 shows Kozhikode leading the way with 193 cases of public nudity and masturbation. It was followed by Ernakulam (157), Thiruvananthapuram (128), Kasaragod (98), Kollam (76), Malappuram (74), Palakkad (67), Alappuzha (66), and Kottayam (54). Pathanamthitta (43), Kannur (35), Idukki (38), Wayanad (29), and Thrissur (24) brought up the rear.