Protests are getting louder but so is the number of rape cases. Although the law has been made more stringent, culprits are not deterred. Funds that are provided to ensure women’s safety have been underutilised for years. The fallout therefore is quite predictable. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and Kutch to Kolkata, not a woman in India feels safe. Women in India are weary of what will happen after leaving their houses. Every parent is compelled to worry about the safe return of their daughters to their homes. Even children and senior citizens are not safe. Where are we as a society going so terribly wrong? What needs to be done to make the country a safer place for women?
As usual, society is divided over the steps that need to be taken to make India free from rapists. In the case of the Nirbhaya tragedy, it was pointed out that the absence of the death penalty was encouraging rapists to commit the crime. The then government readily agreed to the suggestion and made necessary changes in the law. The existing law in other aspects too was made more stringent. Various other steps were also taken to prevent such incidents from taking place. But the Hyderabad incident proved the futility of all these exercises. The only visible change which can be noticed these days is that the culprits are killing victims after the crime to wipe out all evidence apparently in an effort to avoid the death penalty.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau statistics in 2017, the total number of incidents of rape reported is 24,923 in 2013. The accused were found guilty in 5,822 cases. Other cases are under trial till date. Coming to the Rs. 1000 crore Nirbhaya fund, only INR. 165.48 crore has been spent so far. The fund was set up to implement various schemes to ensure women’s safety such as emergency response support systems, a central victim compensation fund, prevention of cybercrime especially those affecting women and children; female police volunteers, women helpline etc. While Nagaland has spent 38.17 per cent of the money the state received from said fund, states like Maharashtra have not spent a single penny. The figures show that a large part of India still does not care about women’s safety.
Clearly, changes in the law, or fund allocations solely cannot get rid of the menace. More in-depth and comprehensive measures have to be taken. Any violation of women’s rights should be dealt with firmly and swiftly. Organisations or people who discriminate against womenfolk should be penalised regardless of social or political influences. Directives such as banning jeans or barring women from using mobile phones should be treated as crimes. No couple should be harassed in the name of caste, or creed or religion. Most importantly, a series of women empowerment educational campaigns should be funded by the state and taught to men, women and children of all ages. A major re-haul of societal mindsets towards women is the need of the hour. Only when mindsets change shall society change too.