The crime statistics in 2016 have been rolled out by National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB)? once again stating the obvious that our country whether it¡¯s the cities or the rural areas is intensely becoming unsafe for women.??
A total of 338,000 incidents of crime against women were recorded in 2016 against the total of 329,000 crimes against women in 2015.
Rape, the most horrendous crime against women too have seen a surge as a total of 38,947 rapes were reported in 2016, compared to 34,651 in 2015.?
But the statistics have come out with a worrying truth which might jolt all the strategies being made to stop crime against women as it has been learnt that in 94.6 per cent cases, the accused was known to the victim and in many cases they were relatives as close as being the father, brother, and uncles.
AFP
Not only women, but even children are not safe and there has been rise in crime against children. The report showed that in the year 2016, a total of 38,947 cases of rape were registered in the country under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) as well as Section 376 and other related sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Among these 38,947 cases, in 36,859 matters, accused are related to the victims. Similarly, it said that in 630 cases, victims were allegedly raped by grand-father, father, brother and son while in 1,087 cases the accused were acquaintances.
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In 2,174 cases, the accused are relatives and in 10,520 matters, it was neighbours who were facing charges of rape, it said.
In 600 cases, employers and co-workers are accused of rape, the report said.
No strategy is likely to work here since it¡¯s serious breach of trust because the person who is supposed to be the protector of the victim is the accused.? But measures can be taken to beef up the security for women in general. The steps should be taken to provide a coercive environment in general where women for safe, at least in public places which is not the case at present.?
Post the Nirbhaya rape case in 2012, a slew of measures were promised by the government to ensure the safety of women which included many reforms at judicial and police level. But despite Justice Verma Committee¡¯s recommendations, no major steps have been taken in this regard.Here are measures that should be taken to ensure the safety of women.
Pre Crime measures:
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Presence of police certainly increases chances that a woman might not get harassed by? people on road. Police vigils should be made mandatory at places. The presence of police should be increased at places like schools, colleges, malls and other places were crowd gathers because at these centres women are vulnerable to eve-teasing and improper touch, groping etc.
Reu
Most of the crimes take place after sunset and rape are also among them. Police should increase the beat rounds in secluded areas which are not lit properly or are completely dark.
Even in cities like Mumbai and Delhi, there are areas where roads don¡¯t have street lights which pave way for the crime to happen. Women hesitate to go on these routes after dark. Authorities should ensure that all the public places are lit properly.
Public transport is one area where the majority of the cases of sexual exploitation take place. The authorities should ensure that women travel safely whether it¡¯s the trains, buses or the metro rails. The Delhi government was even mulling to position police constables in the buses to ensure the safety of the women passengers.
PTI
CCTV help in nabbing the criminals, and this device also proves to be the great deterrent when it comes to crime. The authorities should ensure the cameras are installed at all key places which will help the manual management of law and order a great deal.
While the majority of the cabs running in the urban India do have GPS system installed which helps in tracking down the vehicle in case of emergency, the autos which still are a good and cheap source to commute don¡¯t have GPS system installed. Authorities should ensure this.
Reuters
Following measures were recommended by Justice Verma Committee in the wake of Nirbhaya rape, but the majority of these measures haven¡¯t been implemented in police and judicial system.
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The committee had recommended the setting up of rape Crisis Cell which should be immediately notified when an FIR in relation to sexual assault is made.? The Cell must provide legal assistance to the victim. It didn¡¯t come into being in most parts of the country.
A victim should be able to File? FIR online, but despite recommendations, FIRs are still filed in conventional ways where the victim is made to wait for hours and then grilled by questions which aren¡¯t? comforting at all.
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Majority of crimes take place because people don¡¯t come forward to help or intervene.? And those who come forward are later grilled by police and at times seen at par with the accused.
The victim of rape or sexual assault needs an environment where she can explain the ordeal she had gone through and male-dominated environment of police station don¡¯t provide that comfort to the victim. All police station should have at least one women counselor, most preferably a woman lawyer who can help her make a strong case.
As far as steps taken by authorities are concerned, nothing much can be done here but since most of the rape accused are acquaintances or even close family members, families should ensure that they have? CCTV cameras installed in houses.
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Safety of women is a grave concern and a lot has been written about it. The government also claims that a slew of measures have been taken to ensure the safety of women and the claims made by the government cannot be negated. But despite various stakeholders pitching in and claiming of doing their bit, more and more women are being raped, sexually assaulted and eve-teased and this number is increasing every year.?
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Let¡¯s join hands and work towards an environment where women in India feel safe and sound.?