What Have We Done To Protect Women 2 Years After Nirbhaya?

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Today is the 2 year anniversary of the most horrifying rape we've heard of in recent history, and only 11 days ago, a cab driver raped a girl in Delhi. And there are probably countless cases you've never heard of. In fact, there's probably a rape happening in Delhi as you read this.

To see how much we¡¯ve NOT changed, let¡¯s head to Munirka, the site of the 16 December rape. You¡¯d expect it to be the one place where police do everything in their power to protect women.

Security? Occasionally.

A few days before the anniversary of the 16/12/2012 rape, cops here occasionally stop passing buses and climb on board to conduct inspections. The police probably know the media will be prowling around, and a show of effort looks good.

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It¡¯s only a show though - women commuters and activists who see the ground realities know the truth. Meghlai Lama, a 24-year-old student takes her bus to the same destination as the victim of the high-profile crime. "The cops at this bus stop have just been here for a few days - maybe because the anniversary is coming. They were never here before. I've never seen them at other bus stops at night," said Meghlai. Does she feel safer? "I don't think much has changed. Whether I feel safer is not even a question worth asking.¡±

What the government has done

From an image like this. it seems the police used more manpower to subdue protesters during the Nirbhaya rape than it did on a regular basis.

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But the police and government officials argue that a lot of new measures have been introduced to improve safety. "We have taken a whole range of steps to improve security for women over the last two years," said Rajan Bhagat, spokesperson for Delhi police. "It's not true to say nothing has changed ... it is a long process."

The public outrage over the bus gang rape case brought India to the streets to demand security for women, and authorities enacted tougher laws. Death sentences can be given to repeat rape offenders, and voyeurism and stalking are criminalized. Delhi saw fast-track courts set up to try gender crimes, and over 6,300 buses have GPSs installed. "We've done a lot to improve the situation," said an official from Delhi's transport department, who did not wish to be named. "But there are many things which require resources, and proper planning which we haven't been able to do."

Then why do Delhi women live in fear?

If you look at the measures above, they¡¯re mostly reactive. A lot of common sense is missing. The recent Uber rape case happened because the government doesn¡¯t have a national database of crimes and criminals.

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There are still hundreds of unlit stretches, many metro stations without autorickshaws or taxis outside at night and it¡¯s hard for a woman to get a bus after the evening rush hour. The government had committed to safety gaps that the government¡¯ ¡°Nirbhaya Fund¡±, a 10-billion-rupee corpus was supposed to address. And it hasn¡¯t; everyday New Delhi¡¯s women face the fear of human trafficking, sexual violence, child marriage and acid attacks, and the city records the highest number of rapes in India.

Can we say Delhi is safer for women than before?

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No. That¡¯s what the father of the December 16 gangrape victim said to the media. He had high hopes from the present government. "They say he (Narendra Modi) is fearless. Will he help us get justice?" he says, as he fights back tears while remembering his daughter whose brutal rape and murder two years ago shook the nation's conscience.

Referring to the recent incident where an executive was raped by an Uber cab driver, the father said, "Nothing in India has changed since December 16, 2012. All promises and statements made by our leaders and ministers have turned out to be shallow. Our suffering gives them their moment in the limelight."

In fact, the government hasn¡¯t even punished the 4 men convicted of their daughter's rape and murder.