On September 22, Police started a 15-day ‘fight back campaign’—a programme that teaches girls to defend themselves against sexual predators—in 20 schools of Charikot, Jiri and Singati of Dolakha district.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Basudev Pathak said they plan to empower school girls through awareness on sexual assault and self-defence training. Girls are also encouraged to file a case to the police in case of molestation or harrassment.

Ristina Shrestha, one of the school students that received the training, said, “We have learned several techniques on self-defence and gained confidence to fight back in case of sexual harrassment.”  

Some students might feel uncomfortable to openly share their incidents of assault. So, to make every voice be heard, students are encouraged to write their story of sexual assault, with or without their names, and drop it into a box named ‘pen-drop box’.  

Pabitra Shrestha, a teacher in Alpine School where the students were trained, said self-defence training makes girls self-reliant. “This kind of training should be regularly held in schools,” she added.

Police hope that the ‘fight back campaign’ will create awareness among school-going girls on sexual harassment and women violence.