WOMEN – 2012 - Indian Social Institute

IPS officer accused of sexual harassment dismissed (8)Ranchi, March 24: Indian Police Service (IPS) officer P.S. Natarajan, suspended from service on chargesof sexually exploiting a tribal woman, has been dismissed from service, a senior Jharkhand official saidSaturday. "Natarajan has been dismissed," state Home Secretary J.B. Tubid told IANS. Natrajan, theninspector general of police of Ranchi, remained suspended since August 2005 when a television newschannel showed him in a compromising position with a tribal woman, Sushma Badaik. In her complaint,Badaik said she was sexually exploited by Natarajan who assured her justice against another IPS official.After his suspension, Natarajan was sent to jail. He is at present on bail and facing a case in a Ranchicourt. Following the scandal, the Jharkhand government had initiated the process for Natarajan'sdismissal. The state had recommended to the central government and the Union Public ServiceCommission that Natarajan be sacked and its recommendation was accepted. (IANS) (New Kerala24/3/12)Crime against women on rise in trains (8)New Delhi, March 25, 2012: Despite initiating steps to prevent crime in trains and stations, there has beenan increase in cases of misconduct against women passengers. As per data available with the Railways,a total of 712 cases including rape, murder, robbery and eve-teasing were reported against women andchildren in railway premises in 2011 as against 501 cases in the previous year. There were 15 rape and362 eve-teasing cases reported in 2011 as against 10 and 352 similar cases in 2010. Incidentally, inorder to check increasing incidents of crime, RPF and GRP personnel escort about 3,500 express andlocal trains. "Currently all important trains including Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto are escorted bysecurity men and steps are being taken to strengthen security at stations by implementing integratedsecurity system," a senior Railway Ministry official said. Railways is installing CCTV cameras at 202stations as part of the integrated security system. There are about 8,000 railway stations in India. "We areregularly reviewing the safety and security of the trains and adopting proactive measures to ensure safetyof passengers," the official said. He said anti-drugging squads are also functional. (Hindustan Times25/3/12)Thanks to reservation, more women are joining politics: Prema (8)MYSORE: The practice of female foeticide not only exists in Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi, but also in northKarnataka and in foreign countries, according to Prema Cariappa, chairperson of Central Social WelfareBoard. Speaking at a programme to commemorate Women's Day organized by Karnataka State SocialWelfare Board at JSS Hospital here on Monday, she said in foreign countries, ultrasound technology isused to check the health of the foetus, but in India, it is used to identify the gender of the baby. Sayingthat people still believe that only men take care of their parents during their old age, Prema questioned: "Ifit is true, why the number of old-age homes and orphanages is increasing across the nation?" Sharingtwo instances on the plight of women in society, she said: "In Haryana, an educated woman hasundergone abortion four times to avoid giving birth to a baby girl as her in-laws don't like it. Due toshortage of girls in Gujarat, six men have married one woman." According to the 2011 census, there areonly 914 females for every 1,000 males, and the shortage of females exists in all districts across thecountry due to female foeticide, Prema said, adding: "Ever since the implementation of 33% reservationof women (in Parliament), 10 lakh women are joining politics every year. Also, women are workingefficiently in all professions." Addressing the gathering, Karnataka State Women DevelopmentCorporation chairperson Sarojini Bharadwaj said the increase in divorce cases is a threat to Indianculture. "Today, getting divorce is easy. In one year, 12,000 persons have applied for divorce inBangalore. Apart from government, NGOs should work for the upliftment of sex workers. There are77,000 registered sex workers in the state," Sarojini added. (Times of India 27/3/12)Stress driving more women to substance abuse, reveals study (8)A survey by Baya Karve Women’s Study Centre shows an increase in substance abuse among women inrecent years. The survey shows that stress had driven women, mostly in the 31to 40 years age bracket,to smoking, alcohol, anti-depressants or sleeping pills. The study was based on data collected from 371women in the age group of 18-60 who underwent de-addiction therapy at one of the four de-addictioncentres in the city, Muktangan De-Addiction Centre, Manasvardhan De-Addiction Centre, KrupaFoundation and Anandvan De-Addiction Centre. The women covered in the survey had taken treatment