Women Safety in India: About, Law and Policies

In today’s modern society, women safety has become a burning and important issue. Women’s safety is not just a social need, but a right that gives them the right to live with a sense of respect and equality. It has become a common thing to happen in the country every day, no one is afraid of the law. Every day there are reports of rape, which are not being stopped, let alone reduced and in the end it is said that the fault was of the woman.

Women Safety: The Main Need of Today’s Society

If it is said that instead of the woman’s fault, it is the fault of our society and our thinking. Such cases keep coming up in the country every day and some of them do not even come to light, we shed light on some such incidents-

• On the night of 27 November 1973, an incident took place in King Edward Hospital, Parel (Mumbai). This was that horrific night in the life of Aruna Shanbaug, a junior nurse working there, whose morning never came. Due to this, her life became like hell. During the night shift, a sanitation worker not only raped her but also strangled her with a dog chain to such an extent that she went into a coma. For this heinous act, the accused Sohan Lal Valmiki was sentenced to only seven years. After being released from jail, he resumed his normal lifestyle and also got married. But Aruna did not get this normal life and eventually, fighting this sorrow, she died of pneumonia while in a coma on 18 May 2015.
• Just look at the Nirbhaya case, on the night of 16 December 2012 in Delhi, a woman was travelling in a bus with her friend. Some people including the bus driver beat up her friend, raped the woman and left her on the road. The woman’s body was riddled with wounds. The woman’s condition was so serious that she was taken to Singapore for treatment, but due to so many wounds on her body, the woman died on 29 December 2012. Her body was cremated under police supervision on 30 December. One of the accused committed suicide in jail and finally, after a long time, the rest of the convicts were hanged on 20 March 2020. The woman was posthumously awarded the International Courageous Woman Award by the US State Department in 2013.
• Note: After this, the law was amended in 2013 and the ‘Nirbhaya Act’ was made, which said that earlier only relations made by force or without consent were brought under the scope of rape, but after the amendment, its scope was increased.
• The most tragic incident that has come to light recently, on which no action or result has been taken yet, happened in a hospital in Kolkata. On the night of 9 August 2024, a 31-year-old female intern doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Hospital, who was sleeping after 36 hours of duty, was not only raped but was also strangled to death after inflicting injuries on her body.

This case had just come to light when many more cases of rape were reported in the country. But did all these laws and amendments have any effect?

Ultimately, it is the woman who has to suffer, she lost her life and even after this, instead of decreasing, the cases are increasing day by day.

What is Women Safety?

• Women safety means keeping women safe from any kind of violence, harassment and abuse. This includes protection from physical, mental, sexual and cyber abuse.
• Women should have the right to live and work in a safe environment. It plays an important role in promoting self-esteem, freedom and equality of women in society. When women feel safe, they can become self-reliant and empowered.
• Given today’s society, every woman must become empowered, and self-reliant, so that she can stand on her own feet for herself and her loved ones.

Current State of Women Safety in India

In recent years, many big cases like the Nirbhaya case have come to light, which sparked a new debate on women’s safety across the country. Such cases have made it clear that we need to change our attitude towards women in society.

Laws and Policies for Women Safety

Many laws have been made for the protection of women in India, the major ones being:

• Dowry Prohibition Act (1961)
• Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2005)
• Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment Act (2013)

Government Schemes for Women Empowerment

The government has launched several schemes for the safety and empowerment of women.

• Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao
• Women Helpline
• Sakhi One Stop Centre

These schemes aim to protect women from all forms of violence and provide them with the necessary resources to make them self-reliant.

Key Issues in Women Safety

• Domestic Violence: Domestic violence is a major issue that is often unreported. This violence can be physical, mental and emotional, which affects the mental and physical health of women.
• Sexual Harassment and Abuse: Sexual harassment is a serious problem that women face in workplaces, public places and even at home. Although strict laws have been made for this, a change in social attitude is needed to prevent it.
• Cybercrime and Online Harassment: In the digital age, cybercrime has become a major threat. Women fall prey to trolling, hacking and cyberstalking on social media platforms. This requires the adoption of strong cybersecurity measures.
• Sex education in school: In today’s time, sex education is also very important, people have negative thinking towards it, they feel that it will spoil their reputation in society, whereas in today’s time if people are not aware of it then they will take the wrong steps.

Role of Society for Women Safety

• Role of family: Family can play the most important role in the safety of women. Making women aware of their rights and making them self-reliant should be the first responsibility of the family.
• Education and awareness: Women’s safety education should be compulsory in schools and colleges. This will make girls aware of their rights and safety measures.

Measures to Increase Women Safety

• Technological Solutions: Nowadays many mobile apps and digital platforms are available for the safety of women, such as Himmat App and 112 India etc. These apps work to provide immediate help in emergencies.
• Community Participation: Women’s safety can be promoted by running awareness campaigns at the community level. Only when the whole society understands this issue, real security will be available.

Conclusion

The safety of women is not just the responsibility of the government or the police, but of every person in the society. We have to work together to change our thinking and give women a safe and respectable place. We have to teach our children from the very beginning to respect not only women but everyone, it is important to tell them that women are not just objects of pleasure, they also have equal rights and the right to live with their heads held high. Till there is no strict law and fear for this crime, these cases will keep coming because the fear that should be there is no longer there and that is why these crimes are increasing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What are the laws for the safety of women?
Answer: There are many laws for the safety of women in India, such as – Dowry Prohibition Act, Protection from Sexual Harassment Act and Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act.

Question: How to report sexual harassment?
Answer: To report sexual harassment, you can go to the police station or call the women helpline 1091.

Question: Are there any special measures to protect women from cyber crimes?
Answer: Yes, services like cyber crime reporting portal and cyber cell are available for protection from cyber crimes.

Question: What mobile applications are available for women safety?
Answer: There are many apps for women safety, like Himmat App, Raksha App and 112 India.

Question: Are there any programs for women safety in schools?
Answer: Yes, many schools and colleges organize programs for awareness about women safety, including self-defense training and legal education.

Also Read:

• Preventive Detention Act (Article 22): Scope & Significance
• Evolution of Human Rights: From Early to Modern Concept