WOMEN SAFETY IN INDIA: HAS ANYTHING CHANGED SINCE 16 DEC 2012

Freedom! Safety! Respect! That’s all Indian women are still demanding even after the brutal incident of 16 Dec 2012.  Although, India’s Daughter, NIRBHAYA brought up a symbol of new aspiration in India,but the historical tradition about daily nature of violence against women is actually way up in our society.The condition is becoming from bad to worst.Despite the alarm of 16 Dec 2012 and the several new law,crimes and violence against women continues to increase at a faster rate and putting up a serious question: Is the safety of women in India will soon be history.

 

The largest democracy of the world is struggling very hard to ensure that women are safe. Everyday, be it newspaper or any other media channel, we come across vast number of women suffering from molestation, humiliation and sexual assault. The statistics shows that there is 6.4% increase in crimes against women from 2012. According to NCRB data, number of rape cases in India was 33707 in 2013, the number of molestation complaints increased by 440%. Around 706 rape cases were recorded in 2012 and 1330 cases till October 2013 in Delhi. Considering the latest statistics of NCRB, 93 women in India are being raped everyday. These information shows that not much change has been seen. 

Crimes against women are never–ending. Just a day afer the  case of NIRBHAYA in Delhi, a 3 year old girl was allegedly raped in school, on the 17th of December 2012. The gang rape of a 22 year old lady by 13 men on the orders of village elders in West Bengal as a punishment for the lady for apparently "loving" a man from a different community has again horrified the nation as was the case of Nirbhaya. These shameful acts in INDIA is indeed a serious matter that requires urgent attention.

 The Government of India passed the new Criminal Law,Fast track courts were established in 2013 to speed up sexual assault cases. 100 crores Nirbhaya fund has been announced for better safety of women. Many safety measures like installing of GPS devices on all public buses, CCTV cameras at various places, appointment of lady police officers,home gaurds in the night buses, 24*7 toll free numbers and so on has been introduced after 2012. But inspite of amendments in the legal sytem and adopting safety measures in public transport, things have not improved. Due to lack of regular attention, things are not functioning properly. Careless attitude of the Government is somehow responsible for all this. Unfortunately ,the hope is slowly fading away. More to point,women accross India still live with the daily fear of sexual assault. Nothing much has been changed on the streets as far as the safety of women is concerned.

The theoretical law just cant make women feel safe rather to make real change, the change of mindset is needed. The patriarchal views that have engulfed Indian mindset since ages must be changed. Also change in attitude of both men and women may also work as a factor to make women feel safe and respected.