Chennai: India is fourth on the list of countries unsafe for women travellers, following countries like Russia and Venezuela, according to Global Peace Index report 2017.
The report says that sexual assault and rape rates have increased and advises travelers to stay cautious at all times.
“Despite some high profile prosecutions, there are continuing problems with sexual assault of tourists and native women including gang rapes, murder, acid attacks, domestic violence and harassment of women, as well as increasing problems with terrorism,” the report warns.
Another report published by the Thomsun Reuters Foundation (TRF) ranks India the most dangerous country for women. India was ranked “worst” on all four indicators, which were used to assess countries- Cultural practices, Sexual violence, Economic Opportunities and Education. The report also highlights the fact that India has seen an increase of 83 per cent in crimes against women across the country since new policies and laws were made following the Nirbhaya case in 2012.
Although politicians and the government refuted both reports, it will definitely affect the way foreign tourists view tourism in the country, especially because India was ahead of war-torn countries like Afghanistan and Syria.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development said the survey is not based on scientific findings The questions included opinions on offences such as infanticide, acid attacks, female genital mutilation, child marriage, forced marriage, physical abuse or mutilation as a form of punishment, the women had to choose the options given, they said.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, which has formed the basis for most respondents to rank India highest on their indices, says four cases of rape are being reported every hour. “What has actually happened is that more cases are being reported now. With provisions of zero FIR, which allows an FIR to be filed in any police station, irrespective of the place of an incident/jurisdiction, and growing outrage against victims being turned away from police stations, more rape survivors have come forth to report sexual assault,” said Dr Prasanna Poornachandra, founder of The International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC).
According to her, the awareness is leading to increase in the number of cases. “Do you think a mother would have reported it if her child was being abused 15 years ago? It was such a taboo back then,” she says.
Activists believe there is a discord between laws and their implementation. The laws are all in place. There is the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) 2012, which are stringent and foolproof, however, they aren’t being implemented, they say.
The country has become particularly unsafe in the recent past, believes Anandhi Shanmugham, a professor and activist.
“All women's police stations have been set up in states like Tamil Nadu but patrolling and other such things, especially in the outskirts of cities have to be increased,” she said.
