[ dabble ] Creating the Safest Lane

In the Indian city of Bangalore there is a small street that has taken on the less than positive nickname of “Rapist Lane” due to the guys that hang out there and harass the ladies using the street.

It’s a nasty situation, and one that echos a larger problem in India that has seen sexual violence in the nation make headlines around the world.

Recently though there has been a fresh, creative and inspiring intervention on Rapist Lane by students from the nearby Srishti School of Art and Design and an organization called Blank Noise, to turn “Rapist Lane”, into “Safest Lane.” Using tables with two chairs at each placed down the lane, volunteers sat and invited complete strangers to sit down and talk…and we are going to leave it there and pass you on to the feature from online magazine The Atlantic Cities, who covered the story beautifully.

CHECK OUT THE FULL STORY HERE.

It’s very inspiring to see the impact of strangers erasing the lines that separate them, siting down together, and practicing empathy – finding the [sameness] rather than everything that separates. Hopefully the idea that sitting with someone and understanding them beyond stereotypes will be the catalyst for change that can see nicknames like “Rapist Lane” disappear for good.

Thanks to Danna from dannawrites.com  for finding this and sharing it with us!