Women Safety in India- Challenges and Way Forward- Explained Pointwise

“The day a woman can walk freely on the roads at night, that day we can say that India has achieved independence“- Mahatma Gandhi

The horrific incident of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata has sent shock waves across the nation and again has drawn our attention towards the issue of women safety in India. This incident is drawing the same public ire which was generated by the Nirbhaya Rape case.

Despite advancements in technology and urbanization, women in India continue to face violence and discrimination. It is deeply distressing that nearly 88 rape cases are reported daily in the country, with many more likely going unreported. Our rich cultural heritage and value system have failed to protect the very individuals who are the foundation of society.

What are the safety issues faced by women in India? What are the data regarding women safety in India?

Women Safety Issues in India- India is a country where women worshiped as Goddesses. However, India remains a hub of alarming atrocities when it comes to women safety. There has been profusion of women safety issues such as rape, eve-teasing, domestic violence, assaulting, child marriage, and dowry cases. In the past 10 years, women’s vulnerability has increased many folds in India.

NCRB Report 2023 Data related to crime against women

Women’s Safety Indices

According to the Women, Peace, and Security Index 2023, India ranks 128th out of 177 countries. The index score for India is 0.58, which places it in the fourth quin tile for women’s safety.

National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5)

As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), around 30% of women in India between 15-49 years of age have experienced physical, sexual or domestic violence.

What are the reasons behind lack of women safety in India?

1. Prevalence of patriarchy- There is deeply entrenched patriarchal culture in India. This perpetuates the belief in male superiority and normalizes violence against women. For ex- Prevalence of ‘Ladka hai Galti ho jaati hai mindset‘ in India.

2. Objectification of Women- The degenerated portrayal of women in media and entertainment reduces them to objects. This objectification often leads to increased instances of harassment and violence. For ex- Increased objectification of sexuality in movies.

3. Cultural Stigma- Cultural stigmas regarding sexual violence and harassment, leads to underreporting of crimes, many women fear societal backlash on account of reporting of harassment issues. For ex- Brushing off the child molestation issues under the carpet.

4. Economic Dependency- Feminization of poverty and high economic dependency on male family members, exacerbate the vulnerability of women. The lack of financial independence, makes it difficult for them to escape domestic abuses. For ex- Increase in cases of domestic violence against housewives.

5. Lack of Awareness and Education- Many women in India are unaware of the legal protections available for women, such as the Domestic Violence Act, Sexual Harassment Act. This leads to a culture of violence and abuse against women.

6. Inadequate safety in public places- Inadequacies in public infrastructure, such as poorly lit streets, lack of safe transportation options, lack of CCTVs, increase vulnerability of women to crime. For ex- Nirbhaya Rape in a public transportation and Kolkata rape in a public hospital highlights the lack of public safe spaces for women.

What initiatives have been taken by the Government to prevent crimes against women?

Legal Protection

Central Government Initiatives

a. Establishment of Nirbhaya Fund- The Government has set up Nirbhaya Fund for projects for safety and security of women.
b. Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offenses- MHA has launched it to monitor and track time-bound investigation in sexual assault cases in accordance with Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2018.
c. National Database on Sexual Offenders- MHA has launched it to facilitate investigation and tracking of sexual offenders across the country by law enforcement agencies. NDSO has data of over 5 lakh sexual offenders.
d. Cybercrime Portal- MHA has launched a cyber-crime portal to report obscene content. Cyber Crime Forensic Labs have been set up in several States.
e. Establishment of One stop centers- Scheme of One Stop Centers has been launched to provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence.
f. Scheme for Universalization of Women Helpline- It has been launched to provide 24 hours emergency and non-emergency response to women impacted by violence.

State Government and other Initiatives

a. Mission Shakti- It has been launched by the UP government to make improvements to women’s safety, and reduce the consequent violence and exploitation faced by them.
b. Police pink booths- Launched by the Delhi government, these booths are dedicated to addressing the grievances of women passersby.
c. Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Act- The Maharashtra Assembly passed the Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Act to approve death penalty for heinous offences of rape and gangrape.
d. Meri Saheli Intiative- Launched by the railway Protection force, this intiative ensures security of lady passengers that are traveling by train by a dedicated Mahila officers team.
e. Online Movements and campaigns-  #CallItOut because #ItsNotOK campaign, #MeToo movement, have been launched to facilitate knowledge transfer and coordinate efforts towards the prevention of harassment against women.

What are the challenges in ensuring safety of women despite the legal and policy initiatives?

1. Delayed Justice- The inefficiencies of the justice system, such as prolonged legal processes and lenient punishments for sexual offenders, undermines public confidence in law enforcement.

2. Laxity in conviction procedure- 39% of officers believe complaints of gender-based violence are baseless. Prevalent culture of prompt registration of FIRs, lack of time-bound investigations and ineffective collection of forensic evidence in sexual assault cases, lead to inordinate delays in conviction of sexual harassment cases.

3. Half Hearted implementation- SC has called out the ‘authorities/management/employers‘ for failing to ensure a “safe and secure work place” for women. It has been observed that the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal) Act, 2013, has been half-hearted.

4. Ineffective utilisation of public funds- Even though the budgetary allocation of the Nirbhaya Fund has increased by 100% between 2013 to 2022, less than half of the allocation to the fund has been used.

What are the implications of prevailing attitudes and crimes against women?

1. Dissuades women from entering the workforce- Crimes against women is a factor influencing India’s chronically low female workforce participation rates.

2. Chauvinistic attitude of men in the family- Men-folk do not to encourage women in their families to seek financial or social independence in jobs or careers.

3. Societal attitudes leading to more crimes against women- The crimes against the girl child skews the gender ratio, leading to kidnapping and abduction for seeking wives.

4. Physical and Mental Health Consequences- Victims of sexual violence experience severe physical injuries, which can lead to long-term health issues such as chronic pain, reproductive health problems, and increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV.

5. Impact on Families and Children- Children who witness violence against their mothers often face the risk of developing emotional and behavioral problems. They may also become victims of abuse themselves, perpetuating a cycle of violence across generations.

What Should be the way Forward?

1. Police reforms- There should gender focused recruitment and training in police. There is a need to create women police stations and engagement of mahila police volunteers.

2. Judicial reforms- There should be establishment of Fast track courts and enhanced punishment in grave cases like rape, as recommended by Justice Verma Committee. Further, the women representation in judiciary must be enhanced.

3. Training and capacity building- Manpower training and skill building programs for Investigation Officers, Prosecution Officers and Medical Officers must be stepped up. Gender-sensitive training and monitoring in criminal law procedures must be promoted to ensure that staff handle cases with a trauma-informed approach.

4. Establishment of rape Crisis centres- Rape Crisis Centres like in countries like Australia, Canada, America, United Kingdom, etc, can be set up in India. These centres can provide the rape victims with medical help, counselling, and financial help by way of providing job opportunities etc.

5. Sensitivity on part of Media- The media must be sensitive to the plight of the rape victim and must not highlight the name or any inference leading to the identification of the victim. The media must highlight those cases where the offender has been convicted, as it will infuse the feeling of deterrence among the people.

6. Civil society participation- Active participation of civil society against such crimes and helping state and law enforcement agencies in nabbing the criminal is critical.