WOMEN SAFETY

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “When a woman can walk freely at night, India will be truly independent.” The recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata has reignited concerns about women’s safety, echoing the public outcry from the Nirbhaya case. Despite technological progress and urbanization, India still faces rampant violence and discrimination against women, with nearly 88 rapes reported daily and many more unreported. This tragedy highlights the failure of our cultural values to protect women, who are the cornerstone of society.

Did You Know?

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WOMEN SAFETY CONCERNS FOR WOMEN IN INDIA

Women Safety Issues in India: Despite the reverence of women as goddesses, India faces severe women safety issues, including rape, eve-teasing, domestic violence, assault, child marriage, and dowry cases. Over the past decade, women's vulnerability has significantly increased.

CAUSES FOR INADEQUATE WOMEN SAFETY IN INDIA

• Patriarchy: Deep-rooted patriarchal beliefs, such as the "Ladka hai Galti ho jaati hai" mindset, normalize male superiority and violence against women.
• Objectification of Women: Media and entertainment often portray women as objects, contributing to increased harassment and violence.
• Cultural Stigma: Stigmas around sexual violence lead to underreporting and societal backlash against women who report harassment.
• Economic Dependency: High economic dependence on male family members exacerbates women's vulnerability and limits their ability to escape abuse.
• Lack of Awareness: Many women are unaware of legal protections like the Domestic Violence Act and Sexual Harassment Act, perpetuating a cycle of abuse.
• Inadequate Public Safety: Poor public infrastructure, such as inadequate lighting and lack of safe transportation, increases women's vulnerability to crime.

NCRB REPORT 2023 DATA RELATED TO CRIME AGAINST WOMEN

• Overall Increase: The NCRB Report 2023 shows a 4% rise in crimes against women from 4,28,278 cases in 2021 to 4,45,256 cases in 2022. The crime rate per lakh women increased from 64.5 to 66.4.
• Types of Crimes
  • Cruelty by Husband or Relatives: 31.4%
  • Kidnapping and Abduction: 19.2%
  • Assault to Outrage Modesty: 18.7%
  • Rape: 7.1%
• Women’s Safety Indices: India ranks 128th out of 177 countries on the Women, Peace, and Security Index 2023, with a score of 0.58, placing it in the fourth quintile for women’s safety.
• National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5): The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) reports that about 30% of women aged 15-49 in India have experienced physical, sexual, or domestic violence.

GOVT. INITIATIVES TO PREVENT CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN

WOMEN SAFTEY LAWS OR LEGAL PROTECTION LAWS

Against child violence

• Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006
• Juvenile Justice (care and protection of children) Act, 2015
• The Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act
• The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

Against obejctification of women

• Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.

Against sexual offences

• Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
• Criminal Law (Amendments), Act 2013 for effective legal deterrence against sexual offences.
• Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 for even more stringent penal provisions including death penalty for rape of a girl below the age of 12 years.

Against domestic violence

• Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
• Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.

CENTRAL GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

• Nirbhaya Fund: Established by the government for projects focused on the safety and security of women.
• Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offenses: Launched by the MHA to monitor and ensure time-bound investigations in sexual assault cases as per the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2018.
• National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO): A database launched by the MHA to help law enforcement agencies track and investigate sexual offenders, containing data on over 5 lakh offenders.
• Cybercrime Portal: A platform launched by the MHA to report obscene content online, supported by Cyber Crime Forensic Labs in various states.
• One Stop Centers: A scheme to provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence.
• Universalization of Women Helpline: A 24-hour helpline launched to offer emergency and non-emergency support to women affected by violence.

STATE GOVERNMENT AND OTHER INITIATIVES

CHALLENGES IN ENSURING WOMEN SAFETY DESPITE THE LEGAL AND POLICY INITIATIVES

• Delayed Justice: Prolonged legal processes and lenient punishments for sexual offenders erode public confidence in law enforcement.
• Lax Conviction Procedures: 39% of officers believe gender-based violence complaints are baseless. Slow FIR registrations, time-bound investigations, and poor forensic evidence collection delay convictions in sexual harassment cases.
• Half-hearted Implementation: The Supreme Court has criticized authorities for failing to ensure a safe workplace for women, noting that the implementation of the Sexual Harassment Act, 2013, has been inadequate.
• Ineffective Use of Public Funds: Despite a 100% increase in the Nirbhaya Fund from 2013 to 2022, less than half of the allocated funds have been utilized.

IMPLICATIONS OF PREVAILING ATTITUDES AND CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN

• Workforce Deterrence: Crimes against women contribute to India’s low female workforce participation.
• Chauvinistic Family Attitudes: Many men discourage women in their families from pursuing financial or social independence.
• Societal Attitudes and Crime: Gender imbalances from crimes against girl children lead to issues like kidnapping and abduction for marriage.
• Health Consequences: Sexual violence causes severe physical injuries and long-term health problems, including chronic pain, reproductive issues, and increased risk of STIs.
• Impact on Families: Children witnessing violence against mothers are at risk of emotional, behavioral problems, and may perpetuate the cycle of abuse.

WAY FORWARD

• Police Reforms: Focus on gender-based recruitment and training, creation of women police stations, and engagement of Mahila police volunteers.
• Judicial Reforms: Establish fast-track courts, enhance punishments for grave offenses like rape, and increase women's representation in the judiciary, as recommended by the Justice Verma Committee.
• Training and Capacity Building: Improve training for Investigation, Prosecution, and Medical Officers, promote gender-sensitive practices, and ensure a trauma-informed approach in criminal cases.
• Rape Crisis Centres: Establish centres similar to those in Australia, Canada, and the UK, offering medical help, counseling, and financial support to rape victims.
• Media Sensitivity: Ensure media does not reveal the identity of rape victims and highlights cases where offenders are convicted to deter future crimes.
• Civil Society Participation: Encourage active civil society involvement in combating crimes and supporting law enforcement