Bengaluru: The city’s tryst with crime against women and children reached its peak in July last year when a six-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by two gym instructors on school premises, and thousands of angry parents, citizens and activists came on to the streets protesting against the increase in such crimes. Shortly after the ghastly incident, another rape was reported where a 22-year-old management student was abducted outside her apartment in Frazer town and was sexually assaulted by a gang of four men in a moving car.
While the city stands at the 11th position in the country on the number of rape and sexual assault cases reported against women and children, the statistics revealed by Home Minister G. Parameshwar is shocking. The city police have already registered 882 sexual assault cases this year, with still a month left. It has raised concerns of citizens over the safety and security of women and children as, going by the statistics, 8-9 rapes are being reported every month.
While there has been a rise in awareness with schools teaching children about good touch and bad touch and the city police drafting guidelines for schools ensuring their safety and security of children, the city seems to be going downhill.
Mr. Parameshwar said that in last three years (2013-2015) the state witnessed 3,497 rapes and 12,982 sexual assaults. In 2015 alone, 4,025 sexual assault cases and 1,060 rape cases were registered.
In a striking similarity to the Delhi’s gangrape case, a 22-year-old girl was abducted by two Tempo Traveler drivers and was raped in an isolated place in the city’s south-east division in early October. The incident yet again set the alarm bells and activists raised concerns over the safety and security of women on city streets. Before the incident faded from public memory, a four-year-old LKG student was sexually assaulted by 25-year-old dance teacher on the school premises four days ago.
Condemning the government’s lackadaisical attitude in dealing with crimes against women and children, K.S. Vimala of Janawadi Mahila Sanghatane said, “The mindset of society is the main culprit behind the spurt in such crimes. The state government’s absolute failure in implementing stringent laws and putting a proper mechanism in place to ensure safety of children has led to a rise in such crimes. The new guidelines formulated by the police are only namesake. CCTV cameras and guarding children against sexual predators cannot be the only solution. The police and state government should strive to make offices and educational institutions gender-sensitive. In how many officers, schools, colleges or any other institutions are managements conducting workshops? CCTVs, background verifications and new guidelines are all welcome, but one has to be strict about the punishing the perpetrators. Our laws are weak and there is no stringent punishment for such criminals."
The city, which once enjoyed the reputation of being one of the safest cities in the country, seems to have lost its sheen over the last few years. Activists point out that low conviction rates and delay in legal proceedings are not acting as deterrents for criminals, contributing to the increasing number of crimes against women and children.
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