Policing for women

By Praveen Dixit, IPS

It is indeed heartening to see the various government, semi government and non government bodies engaged in securing women’s rights, celebrating the annual international women’s day. However, the same can not be said about the plights and challenges facing women.

In today’s world, women are often found to be engulfed by issues like female infanticide, the trading of minor girls through internet, child marriages, Eve teasing, rape and sexual exploitation, dowry related torture, domestic violence, workplace harassment, mental persecution, financial hardships faced by widows, neglect of old women, financial and cyber crimes against women. Besides, they are routinely made to suffer the injustice and inequality for being women.

The government has always been sensitive against such crimes and cases of discrimination. Stringent laws and legal remedies have been framed besides launching the toll free line 112 India app and 1930 for cyber complaints. Even anonymous complaints can be launched through www.cybercrime.gov.in

The fact that, despite all such initiatives, there is a rise in crimes against women every passing year. This needs to be looked at its roots.

The number of cases registered against women are quite negligible as against the quantity of injustice heaped on them. Irrespective of being rich or poor, younger or old, of any religion or caste, women are found to be victims of such atrocities. Yet, the pressure from family members or direct / indirect criticism by the nearby residents, or the fear of being shamed prohibits them from exposing the injustice. They keep fearing the perpetrators and suffering the trauma all through their life. The accused, on the other hand, keep roaming freely with zero guilt, poised for many more such brazen acts.

There exists a major need for the NGOs and Police Mitras to step ahead for helping the women victims to register the cases and give witness accounts.

TECHNOLOGY PAVES THE WAY

Empowering women through technology and digitisation is possible and now essential, too, for the rate of conviction to go higher.

Today, several big cities have CCTV systems installed, by virtue of which, some crimes can also be prevented before these are committed and cops are expected to act speedily or even better, in advance.

The use of Artificial intelligence is enabling faster reporting of events and inputs. Though the CCTV installation at schools, gardens and workplaces has remarkably restricted the street level crimes, there has been a constant rise in complaints of domestic violence.

Honour killings of girls by father or brother under the pretext of bringing disrepute to the family name have not stopped. Similarly, number of cases of sexual harassment at workplaces are yet to see a downward trend. Cases of cheating & occasionally murders of those who prefer live in relationship are being reported frequently.

The increase in the Cyber crimes is indeed worrisome. It is painful to see people losing their lives’ earnings to cheats in a moment and then ending their lives in depression. This necessitates the speedy investigation on an urgent basis, to save lives. It is pertinent to keep the cyber help lines functional during the night as most of the cyber crimes occur after the working hours.

UK has already declared the Cyber attacks and allied crimes as terror crimes. India needs to follow suit.