A women’s whole life is a history of affections, she is the beholder of life. She is the masterpiece of god but in India where goddesses are worshiped, women are abused, criticized, raped and molested. The worst condition is of the heart of India – the capital city Delhi that is also been termed as the crime capital and most unsafe place for women by residents themselves. With the highest rate of crimes against women as much as 27.6 per lakh, Women in Delhi seems to be always fighting against the crimes and fails to connect with the environment freely.
Just because she is “SHE”?
It is hard to imagine the life of a small girl who was raped some days ago by a man five times bigger than her age. She don’t have any idea what has happened to her but in unbreakable silence she knows she has lost herself, her identity, her life. You can only blame her for she has taken birth as a girl in the patriarchal society like India. Around 562 cases out of 1693 that means a whooping one-third crimes happen in Delhi against women every year. When I asked five women in Delhi that “Is Delhi safe for women?” 4 women has shown signs of total disagreement to the question.Shubhangi, a student said “In comparison to other cities Delhi girls and not even older women are safe. Girls fear stepping out of their homes after 8pm as there is always a fear of some stranger following them or trying to abuse them in physical or verbal manner.” Archana, a fashion designer by profession says, “Crimes against women are increasing day by day. We have to think twice while wearing short clothes and have to walk carefully in public places.” Where as sakshi, a teacher by profession said that somewhat the fault lies within us as we have given males a chance to think and we do not act as much as we should. Delhi is turning no less than a hell for women.
India from the very starting is obsessed with boys that have lead to declining sex ratio over the years. Even after so much advancement in India, female feticide is still the major problem in rural India that is still major part of India. The adverse sex ratio can be linked to low status of women in Indian society. Most men generally see women as a sex object. Even after 62 years of independence and being governed by a women president and chief minister, the mindset of man in the capital city is yet to be developed.
Why “SHE”?
In the era of modernization where in the world is moving at a fast pace today’s women believes in taking steps ahead of the world. Moreover, in the capital city of the fastest growing democracy of the world some women are scared of spreading their wings because of the crimes happening around them. Delhi has been termed as the “crime capital” and not “dil walon ki dilli” now. With the growing rate of rapes, molestations, trafficking, torture, kidnapping, female feticide and dowry cases Delhi has turned into a devil’s capital. Women are not even safe in their own homes. They are forced, molestated, abused and even burn alive. Once a headline in mail today said “A women is raped every 18 hrs in Delhi” This is surely not a symbol of a cultured country. Various cases like the 30-year-old BPO employee was raped by five men near dhaula kuan and five molestations were also reported from the same area. The incident involving the murder of Delhi university student in day light shocked everyone’s nerves. 42 rapes and 73 molestations have already been registered in nearly 3 months in Delhi despite of the continuous assurances from higher authorities.
The main causes of the rising crime rates are unemployment and no education in larger part of country. Due to search of job, the uneducated people come from rural areas and when unable to find any work in cities like Delhi, they get involved in crimes. Another reason could be the fast pace of the city life that some people could match and get involved in crimes to cater their needs.
Crime capital verses other metropolis -official punishment for sex selection (i.e. abortion if child is female): 3 years jail + 50,000 Rupees fine (equiv to 960 Euro)
- loss of female births within past 2 decades caused by abortion and sex selection:
- estimate of more than 10 million [BBC, Jan 2006]
- annual 'girl deficit' due to prenatal sex selection and selective abortion: 500,000
according to researchers for the Lancet Journal [BBC, Jan 2006]
- rape cases pending in courts across the country: 56,000 [Oct 2003]
- * registered cases of rape in Delhi 2004: 550 [BBC, Aug 2005]
- rape cases in Delhi 2002: convicted: 98 -- acquitted: 344
- age of rape victims in Delhi: 75% are minors, and of those 25 % are below 12 years
- registered cases of eve-teasing for Mar - Aug 2003 in Indian metropolis: Delhi: 744
-- Mumbai:27 -- Kolkata:30 -- Chennai:143
- cases of rape for Mar - Aug 2003 in Indian metropolis: Delhi: 262 -- Mumbai: 40
-- Kolkata: 18 -- Chennai: 21
- officially recorded dowry deaths in major cities combined (Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta,
Chennai): 2002: 181 -- 2001: 121
- cases of crimes against women registered with the police in Himachal Pradesh
2002: 920 (including 137 for rape, 138 for kidnap, 6 for dowry)
- Haryana cost of buffalo: 18,000 - 24,000 Rs (approx 345 - 460 Euro)
- Haryana cost of girl (human trafficking): 4000 Rs (approx 77 Euro)
The light of Hope
The time to stop these crimes is now or never. However, Delhi government is trying their best to solve women issues and stop crimes against women by opening up of women’s cell that is 24*7 available. It solves women’s issues, provides aid to women, and makes them aware of their rights. National commission for women along with Delhi police is organizing various women empowerment programs and campaigns to educate women and make them more independent. For example-free karate classes organized by Delhi police in various parts of Delhi for self-defense and Awaaz uthao campaign. There are seats and coach reserved for women in metro coaches to provide them comfortable environment. Delhi police vans keeps on roaming around in night to ensure safety of women and to avoid night crimes. Government has passed strict laws for companies and organizations regarding women safety.
Media groups are also actively involved in various campaigns. For example- in whistle blowing campaign by Hindustan times, whistles are distributed around the Delhi university campus and if someone is troubling a girl, whistle is blown immediately. However, these are not enough, unless people are not educated and are unemployed all these measures can only create fear but cannot change people’s mindsets.
Today’s woman wants and is capable of building her own dreamland if people allow her to live. She does not want to be represented as weak and disable when she has power to conquer the world. She wants to stand on her feet and do not want to be a burden on her parent anymore. Man is just showing his cowardice by suppressing her under his dominance. There would be no one to see the future if she is not there. The increasing crime rate against women is shameful for a country that stands proudly on its traditional values and culture. Future generations if existed would certainly ask a question “Is it crime to be a woman?”
Just because she is “SHE”?
It is hard to imagine the life of a small girl who was raped some days ago by a man five times bigger than her age. She don’t have any idea what has happened to her but in unbreakable silence she knows she has lost herself, her identity, her life. You can only blame her for she has taken birth as a girl in the patriarchal society like India. Around 562 cases out of 1693 that means a whooping one-third crimes happen in Delhi against women every year. When I asked five women in Delhi that “Is Delhi safe for women?” 4 women has shown signs of total disagreement to the question.Shubhangi, a student said “In comparison to other cities Delhi girls and not even older women are safe. Girls fear stepping out of their homes after 8pm as there is always a fear of some stranger following them or trying to abuse them in physical or verbal manner.” Archana, a fashion designer by profession says, “Crimes against women are increasing day by day. We have to think twice while wearing short clothes and have to walk carefully in public places.” Where as sakshi, a teacher by profession said that somewhat the fault lies within us as we have given males a chance to think and we do not act as much as we should. Delhi is turning no less than a hell for women.
India from the very starting is obsessed with boys that have lead to declining sex ratio over the years. Even after so much advancement in India, female feticide is still the major problem in rural India that is still major part of India. The adverse sex ratio can be linked to low status of women in Indian society. Most men generally see women as a sex object. Even after 62 years of independence and being governed by a women president and chief minister, the mindset of man in the capital city is yet to be developed.
Why “SHE”?
In the era of modernization where in the world is moving at a fast pace today’s women believes in taking steps ahead of the world. Moreover, in the capital city of the fastest growing democracy of the world some women are scared of spreading their wings because of the crimes happening around them. Delhi has been termed as the “crime capital” and not “dil walon ki dilli” now. With the growing rate of rapes, molestations, trafficking, torture, kidnapping, female feticide and dowry cases Delhi has turned into a devil’s capital. Women are not even safe in their own homes. They are forced, molestated, abused and even burn alive. Once a headline in mail today said “A women is raped every 18 hrs in Delhi” This is surely not a symbol of a cultured country. Various cases like the 30-year-old BPO employee was raped by five men near dhaula kuan and five molestations were also reported from the same area. The incident involving the murder of Delhi university student in day light shocked everyone’s nerves. 42 rapes and 73 molestations have already been registered in nearly 3 months in Delhi despite of the continuous assurances from higher authorities.
The main causes of the rising crime rates are unemployment and no education in larger part of country. Due to search of job, the uneducated people come from rural areas and when unable to find any work in cities like Delhi, they get involved in crimes. Another reason could be the fast pace of the city life that some people could match and get involved in crimes to cater their needs.
Crime capital verses other metropolis -official punishment for sex selection (i.e. abortion if child is female): 3 years jail + 50,000 Rupees fine (equiv to 960 Euro)
- loss of female births within past 2 decades caused by abortion and sex selection:
- estimate of more than 10 million [BBC, Jan 2006]
- annual 'girl deficit' due to prenatal sex selection and selective abortion: 500,000
according to researchers for the Lancet Journal [BBC, Jan 2006]
- rape cases pending in courts across the country: 56,000 [Oct 2003]
- * registered cases of rape in Delhi 2004: 550 [BBC, Aug 2005]
- rape cases in Delhi 2002: convicted: 98 -- acquitted: 344
- age of rape victims in Delhi: 75% are minors, and of those 25 % are below 12 years
- registered cases of eve-teasing for Mar - Aug 2003 in Indian metropolis: Delhi: 744
-- Mumbai:27 -- Kolkata:30 -- Chennai:143
- cases of rape for Mar - Aug 2003 in Indian metropolis: Delhi: 262 -- Mumbai: 40
-- Kolkata: 18 -- Chennai: 21
- officially recorded dowry deaths in major cities combined (Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta,
Chennai): 2002: 181 -- 2001: 121
- cases of crimes against women registered with the police in Himachal Pradesh
2002: 920 (including 137 for rape, 138 for kidnap, 6 for dowry)
- Haryana cost of buffalo: 18,000 - 24,000 Rs (approx 345 - 460 Euro)
- Haryana cost of girl (human trafficking): 4000 Rs (approx 77 Euro)
The light of Hope
The time to stop these crimes is now or never. However, Delhi government is trying their best to solve women issues and stop crimes against women by opening up of women’s cell that is 24*7 available. It solves women’s issues, provides aid to women, and makes them aware of their rights. National commission for women along with Delhi police is organizing various women empowerment programs and campaigns to educate women and make them more independent. For example-free karate classes organized by Delhi police in various parts of Delhi for self-defense and Awaaz uthao campaign. There are seats and coach reserved for women in metro coaches to provide them comfortable environment. Delhi police vans keeps on roaming around in night to ensure safety of women and to avoid night crimes. Government has passed strict laws for companies and organizations regarding women safety.
Media groups are also actively involved in various campaigns. For example- in whistle blowing campaign by Hindustan times, whistles are distributed around the Delhi university campus and if someone is troubling a girl, whistle is blown immediately. However, these are not enough, unless people are not educated and are unemployed all these measures can only create fear but cannot change people’s mindsets.
Today’s woman wants and is capable of building her own dreamland if people allow her to live. She does not want to be represented as weak and disable when she has power to conquer the world. She wants to stand on her feet and do not want to be a burden on her parent anymore. Man is just showing his cowardice by suppressing her under his dominance. There would be no one to see the future if she is not there. The increasing crime rate against women is shameful for a country that stands proudly on its traditional values and culture. Future generations if existed would certainly ask a question “Is it crime to be a woman?”