Women Safety in India 1

Women Safety in India






"There is no chance of the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on one wing."
- Swami Vivekananda


“The barometer to the progress of a nation is its treatment  of its women”



- Swami Vivekananda


Introduction

Thousands  of years ago, Indian women  had enjoyed  high status. Gargi,   Maitreyi,  and  other  women  of Vedic lore  illustrate  the  high  status  Indian  women  enjoyed  in  ancient  times.  The  tradition  of  “Brahmavadinis”, women celibates pursuing intellectual studies for life, existed in ancient India. Indian women, who have played a big  role  in  moulding  our  culture,  civilization,  arts,  religion,  have  also  handled  statecraft  from  the  time  of Draupadi  to  Chola  Royal   women,  from  Rani  Padmini,   Rani  Jhansi  and  many  others,  to  Indira  Gandhi  — something which no other society in the world can possibly boast.

Indian freedom movement  was driven by the symbol of “Mother  India”  and devotion to her in the song “Vande Mataram”.   In  India,  from  ancient  times,  Female  Divinity  has  equated  women  with  power.  And,  God  as confluence   of   man   and   woman   (Ardhanareeswara)   symbolized      gender   harmony.   But   unfortunately, contemporary  Indian   women   continue   to  face  discrimination   and  other  social   challenges   and  are  often victims  of  abuse  and violent  crimes.  Manifestations  of violence  include  physical  aggression,  such as blows of varying intensity, burns, attempted   hanging,  sexual  abuse  and  rape,  psychological   violence  through  insults, humiliation,    coercion,  blackmail,  economic  or  emotional  threats,  and  control  over  speech  and  actions.  In extreme,  but  not unknown cases, death is the result.





























Woman  Safety  Scenario in India

Woman   is  the  one,  who   brings   us  to  life  who   can  sacrifice   her  life  for  her  family   but  the  question is, what are we doing to that woman?  Is Women Safe in India?  Certainly not.

Women  are now becoming  the target  of a section  of men who leer, jeer and do not hesitate  to make them feel vulnerable, and, worse, attack their dignity.  According to a global poll conducted,  India is the "fourth  most dangerous   country"  in the world  for women,  and  the worst  country  for women  among   the G20 countries. The  report  suggests  that  Indian  women  are  not  free  from  violence.  Another  report  by NCRB,  that  has been tabulated  below,  shows  that  the  crime  against  women  is  a  very  frequent   and  poses  a  serious  concern. Further these statistics  exclude  many  cases that were not registered  with the police due to the social stigma attached to rape and molestation cases. Thus, the actual cases are much higher.

Frequency of Crimes
Time Period offense
Every 3 Minutes Crime against women
Every 9 Minutes Cruelty by husband or relative
Every 29 Minutes Woman gets raped
Every  77 Minutes Dowry death

























Factors  Affecting  and Aggravating Woman  Safety

Socio-cultural-economic Factors

1.    Activist   Arundhati   Ghosh   says,   "There   are   many   Indias   at   present.   It's   difficult   for   a   socio- economically  and  sexually   repressed  India   to  live  with  the  modern  independent  India.  Backward ideas about gender and sexuality overpower the India in which women want to live on their own.”
2.    Psychologists  say that patriarchy  allows  men  to commit  violence  against  women.  "It  occurs  when  a man  sees  a  woman  as  inferior.   It  is  male   chauvinism,    with  the  man  forcing  the  woman   into submission.”  With  different  processes  of  socialization  that men  and  women  undergo,  men  take  up stereotyped gender roles of domination and control, whereas women take up that of submission, dependence  and respect for authority. This reason relates to society’s construction  of female sexuality and its role in social  hierarchy.  A female child grows  up with a constant  sense of being weak and in need of protection, whether physical, social or economic. This helplessness has led to her exploitation at every stage of life.
3.    Many  activists  blame  the  rising  incidents  of  sexual  harassment  against  women  on  the  influence
of "Western culture".
4.    With the ushering  in of economic  liberalization  Indian  cities  have witnessed  a continual  recasting  of spaces to keep pace with the burgeoning urbanization. The present scenario is such that while on the one hand the cities provide ample opportunities for both women and men, on the other the nature of urban  development  has resulted  in increased  exclusion  of women,  particularly  from the marginalized sections; it has reinforced the existing structure of gender-based violence.
5.    Economic dependence of women over men has led to male domination over female.

Institutional Failures

1.    Less conviction rate in crimes against women and delay in delivery of justice.
2.    Poor enforcement of laws  related to women safety.
3.    Poor gender sensitization of law enforcing agencies like police, judiciary etc.

Provisions Related to Women Safety and the Government Initiatives

The issue  of women’s  safety  is indeed a global one, transcending  borders and  impacting  people at all  levels, including   governments,   policymakers,   non-governmental   organizations    and   citizens.   In   2006,   the   United Nations Secretary  General  emphasized  that violence  against women  in the world  constitutes  a  human  rights violation, and continues to be an obstacle  to reaching  gender equality.

Lack of safety and fear of crime have particular  impacts  on women  and on their ability  to take advantage  of their right to be able to participate in and move around freely in society. Women’s activities are often limited as a consequence  of insecurity and risk of violence, inhibiting daily activities such as going to work, their ability to use certain public spaces, or to go out at night. It also affects their freedom to be financially independent,  and all of this has implications for their children and families.

In these background, let us see the provisions for women safety in our country.

Constitutional   Provisions

The  Constitution  guarantees  to  all  Indian  women  equality  under  Article  14,  no  discrimination  by  the  State through  Article  15(1),  and  equal  pay  for  equal  work  under  Article  39(d).  In addition,  it renounces  practices derogatory  to the dignity of women under Article  51(A)  (e), and also allows for provisions to be made by State for securing just and humane conditions of work under Article 42.

Statutory  Provisions

• Immoral   Traffic   (Prevention)  Act  was  passed  in  1956.  However  many  cases  of trafficking  of  young girls and women have been reported.  These women are either forced into prostitution,  domestic work or child labour.
• In   1961,    the   GoI   passed   Dowry    Prohibition     Act,   making    the   dowry   demands    in   wedding arrangements  illegal. However,  many  cases of dowry-related  domestic  violence,  suicides  and murders have been reported.
• Indecent      Representation     of     Women     (Prohibition)      Act,     1987     was     passed to     prohibit indecent   representation   of  women  through  advertisements   or  in  publications,   writings,   paintings, figures or in any other manner.
•    Protection  of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 came in 2006.
• In 1997, in  a landmark  Vishakha judgement,  the Supreme  Court  took  a  strong  stand  against  sexual harassment   of   women   in   the   workplace.   Recently,   government   passed   Sexual    Harassment   At Workplace  Act 2013.

CEDAW:     Convention    on    Elimination    of    All     Forms     of Discrimination Against  Women
It was  adopted  in 1979  by UNGA,  and  described  as International  Bill of Rights  of Women.    By accepting convention,  State commits themselves to:
•    Principle of gender equality in legal system.
•    Establishment  of tribunals and other public institutions for protection of women.
India ratified it in 1993.


Different Dimensions of Woman Safety

The UN has defined violence against women very broadly to include such issues as interpersonal violence  in the home,   violence   against   women   in   public   space,   trafficking,   violence   in   post-conflict    situations    and harmful gender-based practices  (UN 2006). Further, Globalization has facilitated transnational  organized crime, resulting in a considerable  increase  in transnational  crimes affecting women, such as trafficking,  forced labour, sexual exploitation,  and violence against migrant and immigrant  women. Broadly the issue of women safety in India can be covered under the sub-topics:
A.    Public Space/Place

B.    Workplace
C.    Domestic Violence
D.    Dowry


A. Safety in Public Place

• In India even in the 21st century, women cannot step out of their house at any given time, assured of her physical and sexual safety. Everyday women in this society face more problems than men. The fear of violence and teasing restricts a woman’s anatomy,  curtails her mobility and her ability to work and participate  in social activities.  Even today in India, women can’t move at night in secluded places and even at daytime at crowded places like public transport etc.
• Rape  is the  fastest  growing  crime  in the country  today  and as many  as 18 women  are assaulted  in some  form  or  the  other  every  hour  across  India.  The gangrape  of 23 year old paramedical  student inside a  moving bus near a posh  Delhi locality has  undoubtedly shocked the nation to its core. Mumbai watched with shame as an ugly mob attacked women on New Year’s Eve. In Latur a 14 year old was raped and killedbyfouryoungmen.In Konarkfourmenwerecharged withdragging awoman outofabusandgang raping her. It is an ordeal simply to file a police report and the investigations  thereafter  have been stories of apathy and down right humiliation meted out to the victims.
• Equally horrific are news reports of foreign tourists being sexually assaulted.  AnAmericanwasmolestedin Pushkar, a British journalist raped in Goa, Canadian girls attacked in Kumarakom to list the few instances. It looks like that India as a nation has ceased to know how to treat women as human beings who have a right to dignity and safety. The crime against tourists is against our culture of ‘atithi  devo bhava’  .
• After the horrific event of Nirbhaya death, govt appointed Justice  Verma  Committee  which came with the recommendation as depicted below in the picture.






















Criminal  Law (Amendment) Act 2013

Following   much   hue  and  cry,  acting   on  the  recommendations  of  late   Justice   Verma   committee,   govt. brought Crimnal Law (Amendment) Act 2013. By this act, the following legislation have been amended:

• Indian Penal Code 1861 (Four new sub-sections  in Section 354 have been added. It has been tabulated below).
•    Indian Evidence Act, 1872.
• Code  of  Criminal   Procedure,  1973:  Amended   to  provide  for  a  woman  officer  to  record evidence from a woman against whom certain offences have been committed.
•    Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.



Section
Offence
Punishment
Notes
326A Acid attack Imprisonment not less than 10 years but which may extend to imprisonment   for  life  and  with fine  which  shall  be just   Gender neutral   and       reasonable       to meet    the    medical  expenses  of the victim.
326B Attempt to
Acid attack Imprisonment   not   less   than   5 years but which may extend to 7 years,  and  shall   Gender  neutral also be liable to fine.




354A Sexual harassment Rigorous imprisonment up to 5 years,  or with     fine,     or     with both in case of offence described in clauses (i) & (ii).
Imprisonment  up to one year, or with fine, or with both in other cases. Only protects women. Provisions are:
i.   physical     contact     and    advances     involving unwelcome sexual overtures; or
ii.   a demand for sexual favours; or
iii.   making sexually coloured remarks; or iv.   forcibly showing pornography; or
v.   any other  unwelcome  physical,  verbal  or non- verbal conduct of sexual nature.
354B Act with intent to disrobe a woman Imprisonment   not   less   than   3 years  but which  may  extend  to
7 years and with fine. Only     protects     women     against     anyone     who "Assaults  or  uses criminal  force to any   woman  or abets such act with the intention of disrobing or compelling her to be naked."
354C Voyeurism For   first   conviction, imprisonment   not less  than  one year,   extendable   upto   3  years with fine; and on a second/ subsequent conviction, with imprisonment  for not less than 3 years,  a but  which  may  extend to 7 year with fine. Only protects  women.  By implication,   women  may prey voyeuristically upon men with impunity. The prohibited action is defines thus: "Watching or capturing  a woman  in “private act”; or the victim is using  a lavatory;  or  the  person  is  doing  sexual  act that is not of a kind ordinarily done in public."
354D Stalking Imprisonment not less than one year  but  which   may  extend   to three   years,   and  shall  also  be liable to fine. Only protects women from being stalked by men. By implication,  women  may  stalk  men  with  impunity. The prohibited action is defined thus: "To follow and woman  and  contact.   or  attempt  to  contact  such woman to foster personal interaction repeatedly despite  a  clear  indication   of  disinterest   by    such woman;  or  monitor  the  use  by  a  woman  of  the internet, email or any other form of electronic communication.

Is Harsh Law Effective In Acting As Deterrence?  If Not, What Is The Way forward?

The December  16 gang rape led to widespread  outrage  that forced  the Central government  to enact tougher anti- rape  laws.   But, the next question is whether such strict law can reduce the crimes against women. Criminology research  has   established   that   it is the certainty of punishment, and not its severity, that deters people from committing crimes.  The effectiveness  of laws does not lie in how harsh they are but in how successfully  they are enforced.  Thus  a  harsher  anti-rape   law  is no answer,  certainty   of punishment  is. While crime rates are

increasing, the conviction  rate is declining.  In 1971, the conviction  rate of IPC crimes was 62%, but by 2010, it had declined  to 40.7%. In the case of rape, it was as low as 26%.   Add to this the number of cases pending in court and the fact that it takes years to settle them. This scenario has to change if the law is to be made effective.

Another  reason  why  such  crimes  continue  to  occur  is  our  mindset.  The  cultural  norms  and  traditions  that flourish  in  our  patriarchal   society  undermine the  dignity  of  women.  What  really  needs  to  be  done  is  the moral  overhauling of the minds  of the masses by means of education  and awareness.  The actual need of the hour is a revolutionary  change in the mindsets and conscience of Indian men so that they stop seeing women as objects of sexual pleasure.

Since societal attitudes will take time to change, the police as well as parents and teachers need to draw on the “broken  windows”  theory  of  criminology.  According  to  this  theory,  small  acts  of  deviance,  if  ignored,  can escalate into more serious and major crimes. Do not ignore incidents of eve-teasing  or stalking on the grounds that youngsters are entitled to some indulgence or of domestic violence because it is a family matter.