There are two points here to be noted as far as media is concerned: one, while it is good that the media raises the issue in detail so that action could be taken, what one cannot accept is its lack of interest once the focus on the issue fades. There is no follow-up except in cases where court battles are waged or there are political fallouts. Whatever happened to the victims? And, what of community action and recommendations made by society and government?
The second aspect is an ethical one. Will the media raise a hue and cry if the incidents of violence, rape and murder relate to ordinary people in towns and rural areas? Nearly 90 per cent of sexual assaults take place in the rural areas, we are told. Every hour two women are raped in India.
Of the 21,397 cases of rape reported in 2009 (figures for which are available in the National Crime Records Bureau website www.ncrb.nic.in), as many as 12,812 victims (59.8%) were women in the age group of 18-30 years.
A shocking detail revealed is that most offenders were known to the victims -- as many as 20,311 (94.9%.) which calls for the making of a society that is tolerant of emancipation of girls and women and protective of girls and women.
Awareness campaigns from the school level and safeguard mechanisms in villages or towns (like local committees), public places and workplaces will help tackle such cases and eventually reduce the number of cases. Film-makers, television authorities and the government must ensure that rape scenes are not portrayed and women are not shown as sex objects.
Delhi is not the only place where the number of rape incidents is increasing. Madhya Pradesh topped the list in 2009, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan. Have we ever heard about incidents occurring in these States being highlighted? Maybe, if these fit in the media strategy.
One of my lawyer friends says following retributive law in such crimes will act as a deterrent. Eight States in America have adopted castration as a punishment for rapists. In India, rapists get lesser prison terms. The punishment should be severe and include castration, and organ removal cum life term in cases where kids and minor girls are raped (as many as 2470 such cases were reported in 2009).
Ask anyone you meet in society about the punishment for rape, and pat will come the answer that the rapists must be killed on the spot or shot or hanged. What sections of the media speak is contrary to informed public opinion, which calls for harsh punishment, in the absence of which crimes and criminals are bound to increase by leaps and bounds in our lenient society. And this may lead to the popularisation of the gun culture, which is tormenting developed societies.
