Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 24: Even as Delhi gang rape has evoked an unprecedented outrage throughout the country, complaining of sexual harassment and such cases is still a taboo in Jammu and Kashmir where majority of such incidents go un-noticed.
Inadequate supportive system, delay in justice and the social stigma attached to the victim used to refrain people from reporting such cases to law enforcing agencies and seek justice notwithstanding tall claims of women empowerment.
“Though there is no official statistics on the same, we have inputs that the number of un-noticed incidents of sexual harassment and rape is more than the reported ones in Jammu Kashmir”, Shamima Firdous, Chairman of State Women Commission told the Excelsior.
Further, there are instances when parents of the victim preferred to withdraw their complaint owing to delay in justice, non-cooperative attitude of police and inadequate supportive system, she added.
Tale of a rape victim from Inderwal constituency in Doda district, who is running from pillar to post in Jammu courts for seeking vacation of pre-arrest bail of the accused- a sitting Sarpanch of her area, is an eye opener for the people making tall claims of adequate laws for justice to women in Jammu Kashmir.
Such situations force the victims to drag their feet for legal option against the accused and that further encouraged the criminals to continue with their offenses thus leading to increase in violence against women.
Pertinent to mention that Jammu ranks 18th among all the States and Union Territories in India with respect to the number of rape cases reported with police.
Last year, total 24206 rape cases were reported in India with only 26.4 percent conviction rate. In J&K the number of reported rape cases was 277.
However, the actual picture is different as psyche of police, inadequate strength of Women Police Stations and more particularly the social stigma force a victims of rape and sexual harassment not to report the matter to law enforcing agency, says Prof V K Kapoor, a social activist and legal expert while echoing the opinion of Shamima Firdous.
“Model of European countries should be applied here by making the trial of such cases time bound and compensation to the victim besides classification of rape cases,” he suggested while listing some other measures such as strengthening of Women Police Stations, night patrolling by female cops and awareness programmes for the women security.
However, according to the Minister of State for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani, women policing, compensation and supportive system etc are the secondary issues and primary aim of not only the Government but also everyone should be to ensure women an atmosphere filled with sense of security.
“J&K is not an isolated case and entire nation is outraged over such incidents of crime against women. Lots of minds are putting together to suggest the measures and we will also do the needful for security of women in our State,” he added.
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