Eleven years after the tragic Nirbhaya incident in Delhi, the Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), Swati Maliwal, expressed her dismay, stating that crimes against women in the city have only increased over the past decade. The brutal gang-rape and assault case in 2012 led to nationwide protests and the enactment of new sexual assault laws.
Maliwal emphasized that despite the outrage and promises of change, the situation remains the same. She called for certainty and swiftness in punishments, urging the government to take sensitive cases seriously. She highlighted the need to increase police strength and fast-track courts to ensure justice is delivered swiftly and systematically.
While acknowledging the introduction of stringent laws after the Nirbhaya incident, Maliwal pointed out the lack of fear of punishment among perpetrators. She cited instances of crimes against women increasing in Delhi, with the city recording the highest number of such cases among metropolitan cities in 2022, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report.
Maliwal criticized the low conviction rate in rape and sexual assault cases, emphasizing the need to hold the police accountable for negligence. She raised questions about the adequacy of CCTV cameras in police stations and suggested increasing police resources.
In response to the rising crimes, Maliwal called for changes in school curricula, advocating for topics that teach boys to make women feel safer and promote respect. She questioned whether curricula address issues like domestic violence and how to prevent it, emphasizing the importance of educating children about right and wrong behavior.
Despite the DCW’s efforts, Maliwal revealed that the commission receives over 2,000 distress calls daily, indicating the pressing need for comprehensive measures to address crimes against women in Delhi.
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