Speak Up - Dial 181 - New Delhi's helpline for women
The busy New Delhi help line was set up by the state Government after a fatal gang rape six months ago after the nation wide protests. And so far it has been able to give a patient hearing to 138,000 callers.
The cell is located in none other than the Chief Minister's office. But alas the Delhi government's limited power over the police of the state, which is for some strange reason is under the Central government's jurisdiction little can be done on time. In the last six months 359 cases of rape has been reported which is double the figure of last year in the given time frame.
India shows a sorry figure in addressing the rising incidence of violence against women. It is sad that even after the nation wide protests and Justice Verma Committee Report a hurried ordinance was passed by the Parliament. But the nation still awaits a verdict. No fast track court for the heinous crime has delivered justice to Nirbhaya, the faceless victim.
Similar crimes are being perpetrated everywhere in the nation now. Like an epidemic it has spread to all corners of the country and not a day passes when one more grisly, gruesome tale is not reported.
Why do we hate our daughters, wives, sisters, mothers so much? Simply because that is what is being taught at home. The moment a girl child is born in an Indian family neglect starts to happen. It starts with malnutrition, little or no education, early marriage and so on. Systematically she is kept out of participation in everything. Even 30% reservation for women in Panchayats and local governance has not been able to empower her. The moment she is elected the spouse or a male family member takes over the constituency and she is summarily sent back to her hearth.The male member becomes the de-facto authority.
Recently, a college student in Barasat, West Bengal was raped and murdered and the leadership of the state could not even come out with a strong statement in condemnation of the crime. What is even more surprising is the fact is the total remorselessness in part of the perpetrators who have threatened the villagers with dire consequence upon coming back scot - free with a bail! Kamduni villagers have so far remained united in voicing their dire state but it remains to be seen if the political hooliganism shuts them up and breaks their morale.
So, may be this is the time to speak up for all of us. As little girls are doing to report sexual abuse every night to 181. Yes, child abuse is a reality in this country.Not admitting it won't make it go away. Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, 2007 reports 53.22% have been sexually abused at least once or more. Among them 52.94% were boys and 47.06% girls. The age wise distribution of children reporting sexual abuse in one or more forms showed that though the abuse started at the age of 5 years, it gained momentum 10 years onward, peaking at 12 to 15 years and then starting to decline. But then Indian girl child has still been handed over to known sexual offender and pedophile in Israel! I have no idea how this monstrosity could even happen, don't know if the Ministry will take any course correction action on this or not. Unlikely as most ministries I understand don't talk to each other!!!
The age old culture of silence has been the undoing of our nation. If we want to change these statistics we need to speak up now and collectively as parents, teachers & educators, politicians & Parliamentarians, Police & law, media & entertainment have to find means to become the change.
Remember no change is small and insignificant, any change for the betterment can reach scalability only if we all remain focused and farsighted and not look for individual gains and short term miracles. We all need to pledge for a better world for our children (although I am childless but I do have scores of nieces and nephews). Definitely a more safe and not so horrific a country for our children.
The cell is located in none other than the Chief Minister's office. But alas the Delhi government's limited power over the police of the state, which is for some strange reason is under the Central government's jurisdiction little can be done on time. In the last six months 359 cases of rape has been reported which is double the figure of last year in the given time frame.
India shows a sorry figure in addressing the rising incidence of violence against women. It is sad that even after the nation wide protests and Justice Verma Committee Report a hurried ordinance was passed by the Parliament. But the nation still awaits a verdict. No fast track court for the heinous crime has delivered justice to Nirbhaya, the faceless victim.
Similar crimes are being perpetrated everywhere in the nation now. Like an epidemic it has spread to all corners of the country and not a day passes when one more grisly, gruesome tale is not reported.
Why do we hate our daughters, wives, sisters, mothers so much? Simply because that is what is being taught at home. The moment a girl child is born in an Indian family neglect starts to happen. It starts with malnutrition, little or no education, early marriage and so on. Systematically she is kept out of participation in everything. Even 30% reservation for women in Panchayats and local governance has not been able to empower her. The moment she is elected the spouse or a male family member takes over the constituency and she is summarily sent back to her hearth.The male member becomes the de-facto authority.
Recently, a college student in Barasat, West Bengal was raped and murdered and the leadership of the state could not even come out with a strong statement in condemnation of the crime. What is even more surprising is the fact is the total remorselessness in part of the perpetrators who have threatened the villagers with dire consequence upon coming back scot - free with a bail! Kamduni villagers have so far remained united in voicing their dire state but it remains to be seen if the political hooliganism shuts them up and breaks their morale.
So, may be this is the time to speak up for all of us. As little girls are doing to report sexual abuse every night to 181. Yes, child abuse is a reality in this country.Not admitting it won't make it go away. Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, 2007 reports 53.22% have been sexually abused at least once or more. Among them 52.94% were boys and 47.06% girls. The age wise distribution of children reporting sexual abuse in one or more forms showed that though the abuse started at the age of 5 years, it gained momentum 10 years onward, peaking at 12 to 15 years and then starting to decline. But then Indian girl child has still been handed over to known sexual offender and pedophile in Israel! I have no idea how this monstrosity could even happen, don't know if the Ministry will take any course correction action on this or not. Unlikely as most ministries I understand don't talk to each other!!!
The age old culture of silence has been the undoing of our nation. If we want to change these statistics we need to speak up now and collectively as parents, teachers & educators, politicians & Parliamentarians, Police & law, media & entertainment have to find means to become the change.
Remember no change is small and insignificant, any change for the betterment can reach scalability only if we all remain focused and farsighted and not look for individual gains and short term miracles. We all need to pledge for a better world for our children (although I am childless but I do have scores of nieces and nephews). Definitely a more safe and not so horrific a country for our children.
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