Originally published on the CGS blog on January 24, 2013.
The Indian government has received over 80,000 submissions from citizens all around the country after last month’s gang rape on a New Delhi public transportation vehicle. Many of the submissions pleaded the government to implement stricter and more updated sexual assault laws, but are laws given by the government the only solution to this unfortunate situation?
I agree that harsher laws and legislation is an important step to eliminate the attacks on women, but there are a large number of cultural variables that need to be considered as well. People need to become more educated and aware of the severity of these crimes.
Policemen can be a huge factor in many situations, as they frequently turn a blind eye towards female victims and tend to favour the accused. “If you’re a woman in distress, the last thing you want to do is go to a police,” says a human rights lawyer. Currently, Indian laws recognize three crimes against women: rape, using force against a woman and making rude sounds toward women. But acts such as groping and stalking are not considered sexual assault and need to be recognized.
As women’s right activists and citizens gather to support victims of rape and sexual harassment- I wonder if the Indian government can actually help the situation. If the families of rape victims blame their own daughters for being promiscuous and policemen can simply be bribed to look the other way, can stricter laws and legislation after the crime help these female victims? What can be done to enhance the status of women where culture plays an influential role in gender norms? Can laws deter these crimes from happening or is it simply the people who needs to become more aware?
