Sexual assault against women were under reported across the globe due to lack of knowledge.
Chennai: Incidents of sexual assault against women were underreported across the globe due to lack of knowledge and resources, said Denice Labertew, J.D., Director of Advocacy Services, California Coalition against Sexual Assault.
Addressing a meeting on ‘Violence against Women - Global Scenario and Victim’s Rights”, on the Madras high court campus on Wednesday, she said as per a UN report, one in every three women experience some sort of sexual violence and the UN calls rape a universal phenomenon. One in six women faces unwanted sexual contact in the US. In India, every 20 minutes, violence is unleashed against a woman.
However, even with this statistics, these crimes were underreported due to lack of awareness and resources. Sexual assault victim has a right to seek assistance and sympathetic response and therapeutic services. The victims must be free from stigma and re-victimisation. Timely, effective criminal justice intervention and victim-centered court programmes would enable the victim get justice.
US- based advocate and law professor, Denice Labertew, an expert in using grassroots-level community organising to address violence against women and empowering individuals and communities, which were affected by gender-based violence.
US consul general Jennifer McIntyre said gender-based issue cuts across borders and impacts all people and societies and one in every three women around the world experiences some form of gender-based violence in her lifetime.
Madras high court Chief Justice R.K. Agrawal said violence against women should be nipped in the bud. The judiciary has been doing its best for speedy disposal of cases relating to women. The meeting was organised by Indian Law Institute, Tamil Nadu branch and the Madras Bar Association. Several high court judges and advocates attended the meeting.
( Source : dc )
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