Not so safe on Delhi streets
As a thriving metropolis, New Delhi is taking steps towards becoming a world-class city but the safety of its residents remains a concern — especially if you are a woman.
A Thomson Reuters survey ranks India as the fourth most unsafe place for women in the world. And its capital is no safe haven for its female residents.
But what makes New Delhi so unsafe? Experts differ on whether it’s the deep seated psyche of a male-dominated society, its socio-economic diversity or perhaps both.
Molestation, sexual harassment and even rape have become so common that staying safe is often seen as the woman’s responsibility.
Earlier this month, a woman travelling in an auto-rickshaw barely escaped when two men in a passing van tried to grab her. The auto-rickshaw driver was in cahoots with the kidnappers but the woman managed to evade them and jump out, leaving her bag behind. The woman, whose T-shirt was torn during her escape, sought refuge with a policeman who started questioning her, inadvertently letting the would-be rapists escape.
The woman was dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. The incident took place around 8 in the evening. And there were many witnesses, who watched apathetically.
In such cases, officials often blame the woman’s attire. Would the men not have attempted kidnapping the woman if she was wearing a saree, salwar-kameez or a burqa? The latter would probably lessen the chances.
The Aruna Shanbaug case: SC rejects plea
UPDATE: The Supreme Court in its judgement on Monday rejected the euthanasia plea of Aruna Shanbaug, who has been lying in a vegetative state for 37 years following a sexual assault on her.
Euthanasia in various forms is legal in some countries with safeguards, but has been criticised.
There are instances when patients are mistaken to be in a vegetative state though they are conscious of their surroundings but unable to draw attention to their condition. This is described as the Locked-in Syndrome.
But a misdiagnosis cannot be reversed once life support is withdrawn and the patient is no more.
In India, there are also concerns that legalised euthanasia can be misused.
In its judgement, the Supreme Court rejected a plea to stop force-feeding Aruna Shanbaug. But it also said that doctors and nurses could petition to withdraw life support under special circumstances, in a sense allowing “passive euthanasia“.
Do you think the Supreme Court should have allowed Aruna the right to die? Share your views.
if the SC cannot grant what the victim wants,due to various reasons it can order some govt help..
Rough justice as woman kills politician she accused of rape
An alleged rape and a violent stabbing left an Indian politician dead and a 40-year-old woman in police custody on Tuesday night, as Rupam Pathak reportedly took the law into her own hands to avenge 18-month-old sexual assault charges. Bihar state legislator Raj Kishore Kesri was killed in his own home before an audience of dozens by a mother of two after charges first lodged in May 2010 against the four-time representative were reportedly dropped “under duress” from Kesri and his associates.
Pathak will almost certainly be sent to jail for her premeditated crime, after appearing to take what she considered the only option available to punish the man she says raped her.
A local school owner, Pathak was beaten by Kesri’s supporters after the stabbing, and as she was taken to hospital reportedly shouted: “Don’t take me for treatment. Hang me. I don’t want to live anymore. Nobody knows what I have been through.”
In India, the world’s largest democracy, it can often seem that high-powered politicians are outside the rule of law.
A disturbing graphic in Wednesday’s Mail Today newspaper details numerous state politicians and ministers from across India who continue to walk free despite substantial charges of rape and murder.
In Bihar’s neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, a young girl languishes in jail on theft charges lodged by Purushottam Naresh Dwivedi, a state politician who, as she told police on Tuesday, raped her twice before his aides beat her in the local police station after she was framed for stealing from his home.
Bihar’s deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi told a press conference that Pathak had been attempting to blackmail Kesri for some time: “The police probe, ordered by the government, would unravel the mystery as well as the motive behind the sex slur and slaying.”
This is India Political System at her best. The Indian politician, usually, is of little Education; and if He should have some, then the Degree is of little value regarding his Occupation. Ignorant, Amoral Troglodytes running India as they have been ever since the Moghuls…
Can Indian women trust the police?
A mob vandalized a police station in west Delhi this week after a woman accused five policemen of raping her in a police station.
This is not the first time enforcers of the law have been accused of rape.
In 2005, a 16-year-old girl was raped by a drunk constable in south Mumbai in the infamous Marine Drive rape case.
A year later, another police constable was accused of raping a slum dweller in Karnal.
Data from the National Crimes Record Bureau shows courts tried 132 policemen for custodial rape in 2002 but only four were convicted.
Does this mean women who seek the help of the law are better off not reporting crimes committed against them?
Some amendments were made to the Code of Criminal Procedure Act in 2005 to prevent incidents of custodial rape.
How is the question of class broader than that of the gender?
Good Samaritans do exist in Delhi, despite heartless image
An Indian friend of mine arrived late for dinner the other night, with a curious tale.
An amazing human being! Human beings like her are rare. India needs many more like her. God bless her!
Learning techniques for defending yourself and others against attackers and eve-teasers can be one solution to this problem. Free self-defence demonstration classes are available such as this one in North Delhi: http://www.skillkindle.com/guestuser_cla ssdetails_preevent.aspx?classID=34