Even as the whole State is anguished and outraged at the gang rape of a19-year-old college student in Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu’s record in the heinous crime is likely to disturb many.
The State has witnessed 19 per cent increase in rape cases last year.
As many as 923 rape cases were recorded in 2013 whereas the figure was 737 in 2012, said U. Vasuki, president, All India Democratic Women’s Association, referring to the National Crime Records Bureau data at a workshop on ‘Violence against women’ here on Tuesday.
“In 90 per cent of the cases, the offenders were known to the victim,” she added. Ms. Vasuki urged the government to carry out a campaign to protect women from sexual and domestic violence.
Speaking of the Goondas Act, S. Selva Gomathi, Deputy Director, Society for Community Organisation (SOCO) Trust, said the Act had the potential for misuse.
“Though it appears to be a tough measure to tackle sexual crimes, it will not act as a deterrent. Instead, it could be used wrongly to suppress the democratic rights of people,” she added.
The participants cited “apathy and insensitivity of the police, delays in trial, an inactive State Women’s Commission, silence in the education curriculum on gender equality, increase in liquor consumption and regressive media” as some of the causes for the growing instances of sexual offences.
