Many voices, one view Speak up, fight back on safety of women

HT, 12 October 2016: Responding to the HT series, readers flag issues like an archaic legal system, mental barriers and discriminatory social norms.

RK Vij

Nothing done by a child under seven years of age is an offence. This presumption of law under section 82 of the IPC, however, does not apply to a victim of rape if she is under seven years of age. She is expected to depose like any other witness of age and justice often eludes such victims.

A study of 100 cases of rape of minor girls revealed nothing has changed even after the enactment of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act in 2012. Only nine of the 100 cases under study ended in conviction. In six cases, the victim was less than six years old and only two cases ended in conviction. Major reasons of acquittal were victims’ statements not being recorded by the police, parents turning hostile, inconsistent statements by doctors and parents not consenting to victims’ medical examination.\

In all the cases under study, the prosecution was asked to prove the case and the law of presumption was not invoked. The adversarial system of criminal justice in which prosecution and defence are pitted against each other and the judicial magistrate acts like an impartial referee, did not work in the favour of the victims.

Though the sample size of research was not large enough, however, it did throw up some pertinent points: Having a separate law like POCSO Act is not sufficient to dispense justice to a spectrum of victims and prevalent criminal justice system is in need of radical changes. Additional director general of police, Chhattisgarh

Priya Chauhan

One night I wanted to go to a stationary shop barely a minute’s walk from my home. My dad asked about 10 questions as to where I was headed. He then decided to accompany me because “It’s not safe”. I understood his concern but was put off. Why do I have to think so many times before stepping out of my house? Why do I have to answer so many questions? Why are my parents on the verge of a breakdown when I say that I am going out for a walk at 7.30pm while my brother, who is two years younger, can go to the market, about 4km away, anytime of the day. I understand the concern of my parents — they just want me to be safe — but often I feel this is a breach of the freedom promised to me as a citizen. People say that the maximum we can do is teach our sons to respect women but I think there is a possibility of change if every parent asks those “10pm question” from their sons too. 16-year-old student

Nikhil Vaish

One in every three women worldwide is subjected to rape or sexual abuse. Between your mother, sister, wife and daughter, you are likely to know a victim of abuse. This fact alone should be reason enough to raise your voice.\

If you are a man, you might ask: What am I to do about it? Not all of us are abusive or rapists. But the fact is that the issue goes deeper than just identifying the perpetrator — it is our own attitude towards women that needs to change. Every Indian man needs to start challenging and changing his own notions about women. Many of these are taught from birth, some consciously and others re-enforced at home often by women themselves. But we need to start demolishing the idea that women are second to men. We need to forego our deep-seated fears and accept that women deserve equal rights.

Aneisha Srivastava

I am free to talk to my father about anything but not everyone is so lucky. In many families, daughters can’t talk to their fathers freely. It’s important that children feel free to talk particularly when faced with physical changes. Once parents start talking about these things, it could go a long way to create a pool of awareness. In a number of cases women don’t even know their rights and as victims of sexual abuse they feel guilty. We must talk about sexual abuse within our families too. By doing this we can usher a new era where we all exist without fear. 15-year-old student

NR Acharyulu

It’s ironical that in a country that worships goddess Durga, women and even children are raped and molested. The perpetrators of such crimes do not fear the law of the land. At the same time there are cases where women choose to protect the males of their family — husband, father, brother — accused of rape, with no concern for the victim. It is time that women stand for each other. The country also needs a stringent law to punish rapists and molesters and even those who assist or shield the culprit. Fast track courts should be established in every district exclusively to deal with cases of rape and molestation. Education for girls should be compulsory and free of cost. Schools and colleges should inculcate in students that the status of women is equal to that of men. The government alone cannot be held responsible. A change is required within the society — encompassing parents, teachers and education policy. Corporate leader (Edited for print)