Crime File - Gang Rape, Yet again in New Delhi

It’s yet again. We heard the news of another girl gang raped in the city, the fourth incident in a month. Delhi is fast climbing the charts for being the worst policed and notorious city in India for crimes and harassment against women. According to NationMaster, India is at the tenth position for crimes globally and fifth in crime against women, mostly rapes and molestation. But note that these are the unofficial statistics and thousands of others go unreported and unnoticed.

According to Wikigender, a total of 1,85,312 incidents of crime against women (both under IPC and other laws) were reported in the country during 2007 as compared to 1,64,765 during 2006 recording an increase of 12.5% during 2007. These crimes have continuously increased during 2003-2007 with 1,40,601 cases in 2003, 1,54,333 cases in 2004, 1,55,553 in 2005, 1,64,765 cases in 2006 and 1,85,312 cases in 2007.

What the law says in our country against such crimes? According to IPC 1806, Section 376, the maximum punishment prescribed for this heinous crime is ten years. But is this adequate? Certainly Not. And that could be one reason why we see the crime against women on constant rise. Everyone would agree that the lengthy process of justice and inadequate laws to deal with the crime are hardly any deterrent so that the perpetuators are almost certain to do away with the crime barring few exceptional incidents.

All political parties would cry foul over law and order situation when incident like this happens but none of them would come forward to do anything concrete about the same. Women NGO's and liberation fronts would tear off bollywood posters at the slight nudity and fashion shows but would not put any pressure or go on hunger strikes to make the laws favourable to victims. The only noticeable act GOI did in last so many years was to prepare a bill to widen the ambit of 'sexual harassment' and include rape within it. But what we need more action rather than paper work. That too is pending for discussion in Parliament.

So what do we need? Obviously we can't summarize such a serious issue over a blog thereby reaching any conclusion. But few points which came to one's mind are as below:

1. Pass the bill prepared to widen the scope of 'sexual harassment' in the Parliament as quickly as possible so that it can be enacted as a law quickly.

2. Re-address the prerogative of voluminous definitions of IPC for rape punishment to a simple, comprehendible law so that the miscreants can't use or twist the law to their favour.

3. Raise the maximum punishment for this crime to capital punishment and carry out the punishments without delays to send the message clear across all sections.

4. Fast track courts, headed by lady magistrates and lawyers and if possible, lady police so that the victim can express herself without prejudice and fear.

5. Introducing 'sexual offence register' for offenders so that they be under constant vigil of local police.