WOMEN – 2012 - Indian Social Institute

our girl back.” After a while, however, thing were back to what they were before. The victim said, “Whenhe learnt I was pregnant, the harassment resumed. The taunts, abuses... they were all back. He didn’twant me to have the baby.” In 2007, the woman gave birth to a girl. “We thought Shinde would mend hisways after the child’s birth, but were shocked to discover that he had, meanwhile, remarried and wasliving away from his parents,” the girl’s father said. It proved the final straw, prompting the woman to filean FIR. But the police could not trace Shinde who went on the run. He even applied for anticipatory bailwhich was rejected. Finally, on Monday, when he appeared in court, the cops nabbed him. (MumbaiMirror 5/1/12)98% rape, molestation accused known to victims: Delhi Police (8)NEW DELHI: Despite several new initiatives by Delhi Police to make the national capital safer for women,the year 2011 saw a significant increase in the number of rape and molestation cases than the previousyear with 98 per cent of the offenders being either related or known to the victims. A total of 568 rapecases were reported in the year gone by as compared to 507 in 2010. However, the incidence of rape perlakh population has shown a steady decline in Delhi, coming down from 4.42 per lakh in 2005 to 3.39 perlakh in 2011. Addressing the Delhi Police Annual Press Conference here, police commissioner BK Guptasaid, in over 550 rape cases of the 568 reported in 2011, the offenders were found to be known to thevictims. "Another important factor about rape cases and molestation cases is that in most of the cases theaccused were found to be known to the victim or her family. Thus it is seen that these are opportunisticcrimes committed in private spaces," Gupta said. He said only 2 per cent of rapes in 2011 werecommitted by strangers. In 2010, 3.94 per cent of rapes were committed by strangers. There has alsobeen an increase in cases of molestation of women in 2011 with 653 cases being reported as against 601in 2010, he said. In 2010, the city witnessed 489 rape incidents, including the infamous Dhaula Kuan rapeand Mongolpuri, as against 2009's 459. The figure for 2006 was 609 followed by a drop to 581 next yearwhile in 2008 it further dipped to 466. To reduce the crime against women and make Delhi more safer forthe fair sex, Gupta said the Delhi Police would deploy more women police personnel on duty and everypolice station will have a woman police personnel to interact with complainants. The Commissioner saidwomen-centric police stations have been established in north and south campuses while five districts inthe capital have women Deputy Commissioners of Police and Additional Deputy Commissioners ofPolice. He also said 460 women constables have been imparted commando training in 2011 with 25being imparted advanced training by the CRPF. On the steps taken to make Delhi safer for women,Gupta said orders have been issued to BPOs and other offices to take steps for safety and security ofwomen while PCR vans have been directed to help stranded women, and surprise checks are beingconducted in bus stops, buses, markets and cinema halls. (Times of India 6/1/12)Don’t abuse women empowerment laws: Judge (8)CHENNAI: Justice Ranjana P Desai of the Supreme Court has cautioned women lawyers about thepossible abuse of laws, which were made to give relief to women. “Stringent laws have been enacted forthe benefit of disadvantaged women. Undoubtedly, they must be used to give justice to disadvantagedwomen. But, as respo-nsible lawyers, you must use these laws with care and circumspection and only inge-nuine cases,” Justice Ranjana said while delivering the key-note address at the inauguration of a twodaynational seminar of the All India Federation of Women Lawyers (AIFWL), hosted by the TNFederation of Women Lawyers, on Saturday. “Even 65 years after Independence and enactment ofvarious Acts and Laws for the welfare of women and children, their status has not improved much, shenoted. Most of the women lived in sub-human conditions and were treated like chattel. Women lawyersmust reach out to them,” she said. Inaugurating the seminar, Supreme Court senior judge P Sathasivamsaid that the judiciary had played a major role in coming to the rescue of women. “The contribution of thejudiciary for the improvement of the status of women, ensuring of their rights and equality, could be seenfrom the judgments issued then and there. The media too, had played a vital role in highlighting theproblems of women,” he added. “Women are as competent as men,” claimed Justice D Murugesan. Thejudge also released a souvenir on the occasion. Union Minister of State for Environment and ForestsJayanthi Natarajan said, “Women should be given more opportunities and gender bias should beeliminated.”(NIE 8/1/12)Woman tortured in Udaipur village still faces harassment (8)JAIPUR: Almost four months after a 35-year-old woman at a village in Udaipur was partially stripped off,