Crime against women

— The past few years have witnessed a noticeable increase in the incidence of crime against women in the State. In 2007, there were 1,311 cases of rape, 113 cases of murder, 970 molestation cases, and 3,063 dowry-related incidents including death. Equally depressing has been the statistics in the first half of the current year. The situation is indicative of the fact that Assam, which is traditionally known for the respect it accords to women and which has been a safer place for women compared to many other States of the country, is beginning to show a trend in contrast. A recent survey by the National Women’s Commission (NWC) had also shown the State to have recorded an alarming 36 per cent increase in crimes against women. Along with incidents of rape, molestation, murder and kidnapping, the number of women affected by dowry and domestic violence -- something thought to be alien to Assamese culture – has also shot up. This should be a matter of serious concern, as it exposes the crass materialism and the consequent moral degradation gripping our society. The government machinery, on its part, has failed miserably in according protection to women. The slack law-enforcing mechanism ensures that the perpetrators of violence on women often manage to go scot-free. Gender sensitisation of our public functionaries is abysmally lacking, and this has compounded the plight of the victimised women. A long-term strategy to fight crimes against women, however, has to address the issues of gender-related inequity and poor development indices for women. The gender indices reveal areas of concern like adverse sex ratio, low female life expectancy rates, high-fertility rates, illiteracy, etc., where women are left in a prejudicial position compared not only to men, but also to their counterparts in other advanced States. Women’s access to health care, education and employment continues to be alarmingly low in the State. It is this disadvantageous position that makes women vulnerable to different forms of violence. If women are to be ensured their rightful status in the society, it is imperative that a forward-looking and dynamic gender policy is put in place, besides of course, strengthening the law-enforcing system. The policy must outline a set of pro-active interventions and create the environment and receptivity required for it to be successful. Effecting an attitudinal change in the society which normally looks at women as being inferior to men is another urgent need. Women need to be seen as active partners in the development process, and this would be possible only if we accord adequate thrust on gender development as being central to the process of human development. source: assam tribune editorial