A two-pronged approach is necessary to check atrocities and sexual harassment of women—change of attitudes at home and pressure on institutions meant to protect women—said speakers at a roundtable on the protection of women conducted jointly by AIDWA, CITU and SFI here on Thursday.
Senior advocate Sunkara Rajendra Prasad said that attitudes that paved the way for men to commit atrocities were cultivated at home.
He said superstitions were being promoted even in these modern times and cited the example of a popular pilgrim centre in Krishna district where a woman who committed “sati” was given the status of a deity.
Mr Rajendra Prasad said statutes alone were not sufficient and asked activists to constantly agitate for the implementation of laws and also promote awareness among women. Former IMA Vijayawada chapter secretary V.Sridevi stressed the need for women to unite and take to task individuals and institutions showing laxity in protecting women from atrocities or in responding to complaints of atrocities. She said several women do not even know that they were being subjected to sexual harassment.
She said the punishment to those convicted of atrocities against women should be more stringent so that it acted as a deterrent to such offences in future.
She said the punishment given to those convicted in the New Delhi gang-rape case was very light.
She said 95 per cent of the doctors opposed female foeticide. Foeticide could be completely wiped out if couples were counselled properly.
