Mumbai: Actress Kriti Sanon used Daughter’s Day to draw attention to concerns surrounding women’s safety and the everyday precautions many women take while navigating public spaces.
On Sunday, Kriti shared a post on Instagram describing situations that can cause anxiety for women, including walking home alone at night, being followed, losing phone connectivity and keeping loved ones informed about their whereabouts.
Kriti highlights everyday fears faced by women
In her post, Kriti asked people to imagine receiving a call from their daughter saying she believes she is being followed while walking home.
She also highlighted the fear of a phone battery running out before reaching home and the constant need to remain alert while travelling alone.
The actress pointed to several precautions that have become part of everyday life for many women, including sharing live locations with family members or friends, carrying pepper spray, booking cabs instead of walking and calling someone for reassurance while travelling.
Kriti said the circumstances should change so that women can move through public spaces without having to constantly assess their safety.
‘That is the world our daughters deserve’
Kriti said Daughter’s Day should ultimately be about imagining a society where women can walk home alone at night, sit in a park after dark, wear what they want and use public transport without fear of assault.
She also referred to the routine calls women make after reaching their destination, saying that one day daughters should not have to call home simply to confirm that they have arrived safely.
Her message concluded with a call for a world where women can move freely without having to rely on constant safety measures.
Post comes amid protests in Delhi
Kriti’s post comes amid protests in Delhi following the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park in Kalkaji.
Hundreds of students, particularly from Delhi University colleges, have participated in marches demanding safer public spaces for women. Protesters have also raised slogans including “Hum Auratein Azaad Hain” during the demonstrations.
The issue of women’s safety in public spaces has continued to prompt discussions about security, policing, public infrastructure and the freedom of women to travel and access public places without fear.
Kriti’s Daughter’s Day message has added a public voice to that conversation, focusing on the everyday experiences and precautions that women may adopt to feel safer.