Guwahati: A mass gathering of women was held in Shillong to protest crimes against women, domestic violence and patriarchal attitudes. The protesters questioned the assumption that Meghalaya’s matrilineal social system by itself guarantees equality or protects women from gender-based violence.

The demonstration also addressed women’s freedom to dress as they choose and concerns about their safety in public places.

Placards and slogans at the gathering included “Come one, come all, watch patriarchy fall”, “Matrilineal on the street, patriarchy in the sheets”, “It’s a dress, not our yes”, “One in six married women in Meghalaya faces domestic physical or sexual violence”, “Momo, chow, fried rice, men are full of lies” and “Ek kachori, do samosa, in mardon ka kya bharosa”.

The protest was held as Meghalaya recorded 658 cases of crimes against women in 2024, up from 628 cases in 2023, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. The crime rate was 38.9 per cent, while the charge sheeting rate stood at 72.1 per cent.

The protesters said Meghalaya’s matrilineal identity should not be taken to mean that women are free from abuse. They referred to harassment, violence within families and missing women, and said some cases never come to official attention.

A woman who participated in the protest said the gathering was initiated by citizens rather than an organisation. She said the purpose was to bring greater attention to gender-based violence in a society often described as matrilineal.

“We are here as a group of citizens and not as representatives of any organisation. Meghalaya being matrilineal does not mean women in Shillong do not experience violence because of their gender,” she said.

She said patriarchal behaviour exists in Shillong but is rarely discussed openly. She also claimed that harassment of women has become a problem in the city, with many incidents going unreported.

Senior journalist Patricia Mukhim said the distance between Shillong and larger cities does not mean women in Meghalaya are spared patriarchal treatment. She also referred to problems faced by women journalists in their dealings with police.

“Women here have the same right to decide how they dress, and their clothing cannot be used as a reason to molest or touch them. We need to stand together for those rights. Women in Shillong also experience patriarchal abuse, just as women in other parts of the country do,” Mukhim said.