Events
& Issues
New Delhi, 4 July 2018
Women Most Unsafe In India
EXAGGERATED, YET AN ISSUE
By Dr. Oishee Mukherjee
The recent survey by
Thomson Reuters Foundation showing India as the ‘most dangerous country for
women’ in the world has raised a hornets’ nest in the country. There is
justification in the all-round furore regarding the survey trying to malign and
belittle India’s position in the global world. Despite various shortcomings as
regards the attitude of the State towards women and girls and related crimes on
the opposite sex, it is difficult to believe that the country is more unsafe
compared to war-torn Afghanistan and Syria.
The survey revealed
that women are more unsafe than war-torn Afghanistan or strife-hit Syria and
even Iraq, where violence against women is endemic. As is well known these
countries are highly conservative and follow Islamic traditions where liberty
and rights of women are at low ebb. The government is quite right in stating
that the survey followed “a flawed methodology to present an erroneous picture.”
In a detailed
statement, the Union Women and Child Development Ministry questioned the
reliability of the poll, since the Foundation has not revealed any information
on the 548 respondents consulted who are said to be “experts on women’s
issues”. There is no denying the fact that there has been a drastic reduction
in child marriage over the years in the country with reports of marriage in the
age group 0-9 now being ‘nil’. Further, the percentage of women in the age
group of 15-19 who were normally pregnant has dropped from 16 per cent in
2005-06 to 7.9 per cent in 2015-16, states the Government.
The report pointed
out that while rape cases increased to 40,000 reported in 2016, only 19 per
cent led to conviction due to lack of serious efforts to curb harassment of
women and girls and the Government taking any sincere steps. The conviction
rate may be poor but available statistics reveal that the number of rape cases
is more in the Western world. Data available with the National Crime Records
Bureau (NCRB) states 38,947 cases of rape were registered in 2016, slightly
higher than 2014 and 2015.
Statistics on rape
cases in the country are 0.03 per thousand people, whereas the US reported a
much higher figure of 1.2 rape cases. Another figure of 2010 found that figures
for rape in India were 1.8 (per 100,000 population) while for Germany it was
9.4, the UK 17, the US 27.4 and Sweden as high as 63.5. The Indian media has rightly
pointed out that while rapes in India are highlighted in the Western media a
big way, why is it not the same regarding rapes in Europe and America.
Questions have thus been raised about what the survey has been talking about,
even if we assume that reporting in the above countries is stricter and the
conviction rates are much higher.
The survey, no doubt
is erroneous but it cannot be denied that sexual violence has been on the rise.
There is no reason to deny that harassment and violence against women needs to
be curbed and more attention is needed both by the Government and civil society
organisations to ensure the opposite sex gets fair play in society.
At the same time, it
is also a fact that women are becoming more educated and a significant section
completes its graduation and even post graduation and gets employed, both in
the government and private sector. In fact, women, who presently make about 30
per cent of the labour force, are preferred in matters of employment due to
their sincerity and efficiency in various types of office work. Statistics also
reveal that around 12 per cent of women are behind the wheel as compared to say
Saudi Arabia, where ban on female drivers has recently been lifted. The
scenario is expected to further improve in the coming two-three years.
The country is also
witnessing some States providing more opportunities to girls to complete higher
education through various incentives. The southern States particularly have shown
remarkable progress in providing all-round opportunities to women and girls,
whereas West Bengal and Odisha are trying to come up steadily. The importance
of education in ensuring the rights of the opposite sex as also curbing sexual
harassment has been realised in most families and a steady change has been
taking place.
This has resulted in
increased awareness to come out of the four walls of the home. Just like their
counterparts, women are more socially inclined and are involved in academic
pursuits, religious activities, recreational needs etc. apart from looking into
their health and education. In fact, the modern woman in urban India
particularly is showing keen interest to enter into a work career because of
the pressing needs of the family.
Regarding social
violence, it needs to be understood that activities such as girl trafficking
and sexual violence etc in rural areas are an offshoot of abject poverty and
illiteracy. Thus there is need for awareness generation, putting more emphasis
on girls’ education and making the police machinery pro-active in these matters.
The picture in metros
and cosmopolitan cities is somewhat different, where girls mostly belong to well-off
sections of society and indulge in a different lifestyle such as wearing
westernised outfits, find nothing wrong in free sex, enjoy night life etc,
which is not in tune with the traditional male chauvinist attitude in our
culture and unfortunately fall prey to sexual innuendos, molestation and even
rape. Sociologists and psychologists have thus opined that ‘provocation’ by the
opposite sex in various forms may lead to an increase in such cases. This
despite the fact that India’s religious tenor be it Hinduism or Christianity or
Sikhism etc. bestows high regard and respect for women.
Be that as it may,
the report should give the added courage to fight sexual harassment in all
forms. While spread of higher education amongst the opposite sex has to be widened
in the coming years, there has to be a big change in mind set too. The
tradition and culture of our country, highlighting ethics, discipline and
civility should be manifest in our attitude and behaviour to make us
responsible citizens.
The report needs to
be resented on all fronts, not just by the Government but sections of civil
society organisations and women activists. Every effort must be made both by
the Centre as well as State governments that conviction rate of crimes against
women no longer remain abysmal. This perhaps will help the country not only improve
its global image but counter the dreadful picture painted. –INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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