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from India Insight:
Anti-rape bill goes easy on first-time stalkers, but only if innocent
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily of Reuters)
Women have become increasingly worried about their safety in New Delhi after the gang rape and torture of a young woman aboard a moving bus last December. Not for nothing do people call the city India's rape capital. Beyond the leers and the crass words that men often direct at women walking on the street, fresh fears have arisen over stalkers.
The Lok Sabha passed a bill to toughen penalties on rape and sexual assault on Tuesday, and among its penalties, it would make stalking punishable by jail time. But first-time offenders will be able to avoid being detained till investigation is complete, as the offence is bailable.
That, of course, disappointed many people. “1st time stalkers get bail, so they get out and harass, and maybe attack the woman they were stalking?,” journalist Padmaja Joshi wrote on Twitter. @Neilima wrote, “1st time stalker getting bail will probably lead on a second attack. Only, it'll be a lot worse than just stalking her.”
from India Insight:
Making a case for tougher anti-stalking laws
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily of Reuters)
Should any well meaning law proposed in a democratic parliament be shelved because it risks being misused in some form?
from India Insight:
Military personnel who rape in India’s conflict zones should be prosecuted: committee
The Justice Verma Committee, set up to review India’s legislation following the brutal gang rape of a student in Delhi last month, released its recommendations on how to make the country safer for women last week.
Among the issues which the panel addressed was a “neglected area” concerning sexual violence against women in areas of conflict.
from India Insight:
Delhi rape case: Verma committee report dredges up old stereotypes
Like many journalists who follow Indian affairs, I have been digging through the 657 pages of the Verma committee report on rape in India and attitudes toward women in that country. You can read about its main conclusion in our wire story, namely:
India needs to implement existing laws, not introduce tougher punishment such as the death penalty, to prevent rape, a government panel set up to review legislation said on Wednesday, following a brutal gang rape that shook the nation. Panel head, justice J.S. Verma, rejected outright the idea of the death penalty for rape cases, a demand from some protesters and politicians in the days after the 23-year-old physiotherapy student was attacked on a moving bus.
from India Insight:
In southern Delhi, a slum lives in fear and uncertainty
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Thomson Reuters)
Raju Saini appears fidgety and nervous as he talks about his cousin. He speaks matter-of-factly, but there is a hint of caution in his voice, as if he is wary of what we might think about him and the place where he lives. Fifteen minutes into the conversation, he says what has been on his mind.
from India Insight:
Know your rights: staying safe in India’s rape capital
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Thomson Reuters)
Despite increased media scrutiny of violence against women after the Dec. 16 gang rape case, such incidents continue to be reported in and around New Delhi -- now holder of the infamous title, "India's rape capital."
from India Insight:
Interview: Satisfied with response from police, government: rape victim’s father
Five men accused of the rape and murder of the 23-year-old student appeared in court on Monday to hear charges against them.
Reuters’ Shashank Chouhan interviewed the rape victim’s father over telephone. Here are the excerpts:
from India Insight:
Banning Bollywood item numbers is no solution
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Thomson Reuters)
The gang rape and death of a 23-year-old woman in New Delhi last month has made many Indians take a hard look at how they behave as a society.
from India Insight:
Delhi gang rape victim dies: elsewhere on the web
The 23-year-old woman whose gang rape sparked protests and a national debate about violence against women in India died of her injuries on Saturday, prompting a security lockdown in New Delhi and an acknowledgement from the prime minister that social change is needed.
Bracing for a new wave of protests, authorities deployed thousands of policemen, closed 10 metro stations and banned vehicles from some main roads in the heart of New Delhi, where demonstrators have converged since the attack to demand improved women's rights. Hundreds of people staged peaceful protests at two locations on Saturday morning.
