A slew of laws has been enacted after the brutal Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case in 2012 but crime against women and girls continue unabated.
As many as four rape cases involving minor girls were reported from Delhi alone in just two weeks last month, sparking public outrage. These cases included the gang-rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in Swaroop Nagar, the abduction and assault of a 10-year-old girl by a 56-year-old man in Sadar Bazar, and the assault of a six-year-old girl by a 34-year-old man in central Delhi. The fourth case involved a 17-year-old girl, who was gang-raped in Astha Kunj Park by three men posing as police personnel. These incidents triggered a series of protests led by women students, who voiced their anger over the failure of the government to stop crime against women and girls. Thousands of students took to the streets not just demanding greater accountability but also freedom—freedom to walk in the streets without fear, to do away with gender-based restrictions, and to strictly implement laws enacted for the safety of women. It is a shame that women still have to fight for their basic rights and are not safe in public spaces—on the streets, public transport, in their neighbourhoods, or even in their own homes. Even more shameful is the way governments and authorities respond to criminal acts. The Delhi Development Authority, for example, restricted entry to parks in the national capital after sunset as part of new safety measures, following the gang-rape of a minor girl in Astha Kunj Park. This is a classic case of treating symptoms rather than addressing underlying issues, an approach that often results in recurrence. When the focus is on places women and girls should avoid, times they shouldn't venture out, clothes they shouldn't wear, or activities they shouldn't do that their male counterparts can, instead of confronting criminals and ensuring timely penalisation, it is clear we are far from solving our fundamental problems.
The Government of India unleashed a slew of laws after the brutal Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case in 2012 that shook the conscience of the country. These included strengthening legal provisions related to sexual offences and introducing more stringent penalties including the death penalty in certain cases, and mandating faster investigation and trial, by enacting the Criminal Law (Amendment) Acts of 2013 and 2018. However, crime data tell a different story about women’s safety. The National Crime Records Bureau report indicates a sharp increase in the crime rate against women in the past decade that followed the Nirbhaya incident, raising questions about the implementation and effectiveness of deterrent laws. The authorities should seriously work on the implementation of laws and the timely delivery of justice. Society must shed the mindset that blames women and girls for the discrimination and assault they face. Instead, the focus should be on addressing why they are unsafe. Their freedom should not be seen as the cause of the problems they face through no fault of their own.