Despite the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case – which shook the entire nation, it seems we still have not learned how to save and protect the females of our society.
The vultures continue to roam free, and the mentality that breeds them continues to flourish – as it did when thousands took to the streets of Delhi to protest the brutal rape and murder of ‘India’s Daughter.’
With a similar case emerging from Hyderabad now, and a number of other cases of sexual brutality coming from other areas – we are still at the same spot, asking the same questions we asked 7 years ago.
What has changed?
To make it more direct, I have attempted to put together a few points which should narrow down our demands of what we expect to be done to safeguard the interest of the victims of sexual assault and rape.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5fuy46nfTl/
Here are a few things that can be implemented (if not already done) ASAP, to curb this menace:
1) Cases related to rape should take no more than 2 to 3 months to get solved starting from the time the first complaint is registered. 3 being the maximum. A special cell should be created for automatically imposing fine for any delay caused.
2) Special anti-rape helplines and police units should be established, looking only at rape and sexual assault cases and nothing else. FIR should be lodged through these special units apart from the regular police stations, which itself should have a supervisory authority ensuring there’s no delay in registering complaints and taking necessary actions.
3) The total term for rape should be extended to lifetime, instead of just seven years. In case of severally brutal cases, causing permanent harm to or taking the life of the victim, capital punishment should be mandatory.
4) More severe laws should be created to tackle acts of false-rape accusations, so that the movement of female safety is not hindered by a few, who try to take advantage of it.
5) Gender-neutral rape laws should be created to tackle rape and sexual assault cases where the victim of rape and assault is not a female.
6) Moral education should be introduced as a mandatory subject in primary schools.
7) Using the powers of social media – Anti-rape units should also be monitored through official Twitter and Facebook accounts, to provide an easy reach to those who are in distress.
8) Every local MLA should be delegated with the responsibility of installing CCTV camera’s in his locality and ensuring police patrol during the dark hours of the day. Each elected MLA’s office should also have a separate, ‘sexual assault report’ unit – led by females, that can be approached by the victims, if no action is taken from the police stations or ‘special anti-rape police units’ suggested above.
9) Special training should be provided to doctors, anti-rape unit personals, police and other authorities – teaching them to maintain courtesy and empathy towards the victims, and ensuring a smooth, harassment-free process of reporting the crime and carrying-on with the proceedings.
10) Immediate police protection should be provided to the victims, if the accused is potentially dangerous or threatens the victim or his/her family.
These are just my personal opinions on some of things things that I think can be done, if not already implemented.
What are your thoughts?