Chennai: Anger, discontent over status of girls' safety

Chennai: The recent rape of a 11-year-old girl at an apartment complex in Chennai, allegedly by 18 men, has triggered widespread anguish and anger. Working women and personalities from different fields have expressed their discontent over the current state of affairs.

Filmmaker Geetha Rajput of GR Movies says that women are not safe is most cities of the world. What women should wear, how they should behave should not be anyone’s concern. Women should be more self-confident and people should speak out in defence of women.

Shylaja Chetlur of Wanderlust travels says that India is not exactly an equal society where gender is concerned. “Though we speak about power as a feminine shakthi not all women have the freedom to live the way they think is best for them. We should have quicker verdicts, better awareness for women about their legal rights. Women should be economically independent.”

Anita Ratnam of Arangham dance theatre says national focus started with Nirbhaya episode as the media has become far more vigilant. Sexual violence has become compounded by issues of caste and religion.

“On the one hand we glorify women as Lakshmi and on the other hand we inflict violence. Every week we read some foreign tourist being molested. We are still debating marital rape. Basically in India we don’t have respect for woman. She is still dispensable and disposable. War against women is happening at every level. Even in a womb a girl child is in danger,” she said.

Self-defence must be absolute from school. There is need for strict and swift actions along with death penalty for the convict, she said. In the poll conducted by Thomson Reuters Foundation, India was labelled as the world’s most dangerous country for women, ahead of war torn countries like Syria and Afghanistan. Although the report is just a perception survey data as stated, it is high time the government took necessary steps to ensure woman safety and speedy delivery of justice, say activists.