BYSTANDER EFFECT(PUBLIC APATHY):
Why is it that the people who passed by either just watched and listened but did not act to help or call police immediately, shocked the nation. Why do people who are otherwise willing to help in non-emergency situations do not in emergency situations? Would timely help have saved Nirbhaya's life? We will never know. But, the general reluctance of passersby to rescue victim of road accident, immobilized by the wounds and trauma, needs urgent attention of the law makers. Most passersby look the other way because they fear harassment during police investigation and subsequent summons to appear before court in long drawn outtrial.
In India there is need to protect the identity or details of the first responder if they so desire, and should not be compelled to visit the police station for recording of statement or other paper work, and as far as practicable, they should be examined at their place of residence/workplace.
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Mindset Change :
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t's not about issues it's about our contribution to our society, to our nation. Nirbhaya has given us a platform to raise our voice. Her sacrifice to life should not go in vain. The recent headlines in India's leading newspapers seem to be screaming for attention towards bringing change in a twisted and perverted society in a so-called developing country. Sexual violence against women isn't a new concept. In fact, it has been going on for a long time in the country.
Women have always been victims of sexual abuse. In fact, it is sad that India is a 'so-called' developing country where a female isn't safe, either in the womb or outside.
And because the society as a whole has miserably failed to educate and evolve, the male mindset is hard coded into passing the blame on the victim.
In fact. 'Rape is the onlv crime in which the victim becomes the accused.'
In recent years, India has witnessed an exponential rise in the number of rape cases. And there seems to be no restriction or constraint on the age of the victims.
The spine-chilling and horrendous gang rape and brutalization of the 23-year-old Delhi girl, named 'manat' or 'Nirbhaya' by the media, has sparked an outpour of national grief and ire, and has put a question on everyone's mind: Will this tragedy finally prompt a change in laws and attitudes toward women, in the world's largest democracy?
India is screaming for attention and change so that we avoid such incidents in the future. We see such incidents because these men were never taught to respect women, or told that by defiling women's bodies they do not somehow establish their superiority.
What is needed today is only one thing - a complete change in attitude to women, a change in the legal process of dealing with the crime, and educating and 'sensitizing' men about women's issues.
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HOW IS THIS TO BE ACHIEVED:
The country needs major reformative steps in the fields of Election Process, Judiciary, Political setup, Distribution of national resources for all, etc.
Although there have been few changes, of late, in the election process, abolition of caste system etc. but still much needs to be done to empower women and change the mindset of the Indian citizens. We live in a democracy where everyone has the right to express themselves as long as they don't harm others. Society has to learn to deal with it. And grow up. Strong deterrence has worked with other social evils, from dowry demands to drunken driving. A similar approach of deterrent punishment will work in this most horrendous crimes against women as well.
We have to have fear of the law. Conviction rates in crimes against women should be higher. There should be a mechanism where the rapist should feel the stigma and not the victim.
Presently it is being debated that whatever changes are made in the law, the gang rape accused will be tried according to the present laws.
No law can be enforced retrospectively. But why not? If the President of the country has the power to show mercy on the rape convicts sentenced to death by our honorable courts then a similar power should be revoked to send these six to thegallows.
Rape should be treated as a cruel crime equivalent to planned murder. Once a person is murdered, he/she won't feel the pain thereafter; but a rape survivor lives like a dead person, feeling the pain and agony every minute. Hence, those who commit the crime of rape, whether politician, police or public should be hanged to death.
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POLICE APATHY:
The gang rape and murder of the 23-year-old woman symbolically named Nirbhaya raises critical questions about police ineptitude and callousness. Nirbhaya's male companion recently revealed how the injured couple lay bleeding and unclothed for two hours without assistance. When police vans did show up, apparently time was wasted in arguments over whose jurisdiction this case fell in. Finally, Nirbhaya's friend picked up her battered body and placed her in a van which took them to hospital.
Despite heated official denials, attention must be directed to the problems apparent here. A police force's job is to maintain law and order, immediately assisting those in distress. Pettifogging over jurisdiction during crisis reveals utter callousness towards citizens. Such failed civic regulation aside, it's also obvious the police are totally out of step with gender crimes, often appearing apathetic and even sympathetic towards perpetrators sometimes.
These cases show deep but resolvable problems. Firstly, it must be understood the police exists to serve and protect the public. Officials failing to do so must be made examples of. Alongside, the police must begin long-needed reforms recruiting more persons, ensuring more women cops, sensitizing officials consistently towards gender, accountability and crime. Sexual crimes don't just reveal men brutalizing women, they also show a public service failing its people. The police must get their act together. Fixing their own helplines is a good place to start.