Need strict laws, moral education & quick judgments

Change patriarchal mindset, organise sensitisation workshops, create fear of law in minds of culprits & increase patrolling

Promote gender equality in society

Despite amendments to criminal law for effective deterrence against the commission of rape and decision to put several measures in place for speedy investigation and trial of such cases, there is no diminution in crime against women in India. To curb this menace, India needs an efficient and effective law enforcement system. Most important change needed is in society’s perception to view woman as equal to man. Promote equality as some rapes are committed to display dominance. Remove patriarchal mindset still dominant in India. Give moral education so that a boy and a girl understand that they are different, but humans. Actresses must stop body display and item numbers. Advertisements of beauty products must not contain indecent display of women. Media should stop sensationalising rape reporting.

Charu Malhotra, Chandigarh

The increasing trend of crimes against women in the tricity is worrisome. There is no single agency to monitor these crimes or follow up cases with the police. There is a need for setting up a women’s commission in the UT. Chandigarh has a large number of girl students and working women. A statutory body to investigate and examine matters relating to safeguards provided under the constitution for women will enhance confidence of women and come to their rescue faster. A women’s commission will identify possible vulnerable areas and ask police to increase their presence and surveillance there. It can also organise sensitisation workshops for the police and awareness campaigns for girls on crimes against women.

Colonel RD Singh (retd), Ambala Cantonment

Law alone cannot protect women

It is strange, sad and shocking that tricity has witnessed the highest number of rapes. This trend has shaken residents. It is said that poverty politics, power and illiteracy are the reasons behind crime. Safety of women starts at home. Public space would get safer for women if our homes are more secure. Family is the index of society. Law alone cannot protect women. Moral values can help. Society in general and the police in particular need to wake up and act. Enactment of stringent laws and their effective implementation would go a long way in minimising crime against women.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

Set up special cell for investigation

Why stringent laws are not deterring rapists from committing heinous crimes is a serious question. There is an urgent need to set up a special cell comprising counselling psychologists and psychotherapists to thoroughly investigate why rapists are not scared of severe punishment for their acts, which can lead them even lead them to gallows. After completion of their investigation, the special cell should submit a detailed report citing solution to prevent such crimes in future.

Ravinder Nath, Chandigarh

Women empowerment intolerable for some

Some cannot tolerate women empowerment. The increase in rape cases is a disturbing trend. Some persons with distorted minds indulge in such activities. They cannot tolerate women empowerment. People, who follow religious and political leaders, have to change this mindset. Laws have been made stringent, but fear is not created in minds of culprits. Society and electronic media can do wonders with the help of law. The police should create fear of law in minds of culprits. They should see no escape from punishment and social disgrace.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

Speedy trials, severe punishments needed

Unprecedented surge in rape cases and incidences of violence against women in the tricity is appalling. This spurt is not because of perverted mindset, but due to no fear of law in minds of offenders. Due to social stigma, many cases are not reported. Amongst registered cases, the conviction rate is low because of shoddy investigation and non-conclusive evidence. Prolonged judicial process, as evident in Nirbhaya rape case in 2012, which has taken seven long years, delays justice. Safety and security of women is responsibility of the administration. Therefore, to curb this social menace much efficient and professional policing is needed to ensure speedy and fair investigation with foolproof evidence supported with forensic and medical reports. Besides trial of rape cases must be in fast track courts. Capital punishment must be awarded where justified.

SS Arora, Mohali

Introduce patrolling in vulnerable areas

Criminals strike in the city as per their will. It seems they do not fear law enforcing agencies. Agreed, there can be no policing in every corner of the city by over burdened personnel. Yet decoy policemen/women can be deployed across the city to nab criminals. Joint patrolling needs to be introduced in some specific sectors in the city, which are more vulnerable to crime against women due to their proximity with nearby cities. Both the police and the public will have to work in coordination to stop crime against women. Public should come forward to help in catching criminals. Instead of being onlookers, people should be proactive. They must take note of the number of vehicle used in the crime, try to stop criminals and inform the police immediately. CCTV cameras must be installed across the city to stop crime. Dark spots should be identified and illuminated.

Dr Rajeev Kumar, Chandigarh

Stop telecast of obscene programmes

It is a universally acknowledged fact that women ensure national progress and prosperity. They have been suppressed for centuries altogether. Now, it is the time of their emancipation. No doubt women are moving towards modernisation and climbing the ladder of success in every sphere of life, but moral values and ethics are experiencing a steep fall. In order to decelerate this rate, laws must be strict enough to tackle heinous crimes. Media is also responsible for crime against women to some extent. Movies are full of violence, kidnapping and immortality. Stop telecast of obscene programmes telecast. We have to make concerted efforts to nip the evil in the bud. It is our responsibility to build morale and inculcate ethics in young and budding minds.

Anita Tandon, Chandigarh

Judgments must be Pronounced in month

Increase in rape cases in the tricity is deplorable and shocking. Schools and institutes must impart training to build character of their students. Instead of keeping wrong thoughts, men should respect women. Everyone has a mother and sisters at home. The Central Government should make laws under which an exemplary punishment can be give to culprits. Justice delayed is justice denied. Courts trying rape cases must pronounce judgments within a month or so. Men should change their mindset. It can help in eradicating crime against women.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

Control access to pornography

To check the disturbing trend of rising crimes against women, the tricity requires both preventive and curative steps. Boys and girls should be educated from early age to respect opposite sex. Such instruction should continue through schooling until its end. Access to pornography now available in epidemic form must be controlled. Curative measures warrant quick disposal of crimes through fast-track courts that should grant exemplary punishment to the criminals regardless of their ages. Necessary amendments in law should be made with a clear definition of what constitutes a cognizable and punishable crime, and delinquency kept out of consideration. Lawyers defending criminals should be educated to distinguish between the victim’s trauma, even loss of life, and the perverted right of the accused, who deserves psychosomatic battering as an exemplary corrective.

Dr SS Bhatti, Chandigarh

Revamp justice delivery system

Gone are the days when Chandigarh, the proverbial dream city, was considered safest place, especially for women. Recurring incidents of crime in the city every single day have earned it a new soubriquet of ‘Crime Capital’ of the country. We all see for ourselves how criminals enjoying political patronage manage to walk free after committing the heinous of crimes without the scantest fear of the law, with the police dispensation turning a Nelson’s eye to the malaise. Lax laws have proved in fructuous in terms of convictions and award of punishment to those found on the wrong side of the fence. Stringent laws and their strictest implementation is the way forward to check the ever-burgeoning crime against women. NGO and civil society also need to come forward to contribute in containing incidents of crime against women. To cap it all, our justice delivery mechanism needs to be revamped.

Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh

Our society has degraded morally

Incidents of rape and crime against women happen due to moral degradation of society. The root of the problem runs deep in our conservative society that is having trouble adjusting to educational and economic advancement of women. We as a society are to be blamed collectively for the cruelty and indignity inflicted upon women. Only real empathy of women’s issues, rather than rehearsed outbursts when the worst happens, can, and will make us all safe. The harassment, victims’ face, while filing a complaint and the delay in conviction, due to patchy long-drawn investigations, under the law thereafter, need to be tackled with utmost urgency and on a war footing. Culprits for all offences against women should be charged under Section 376, IPC, which needs to be amended.

Rajiv Boolchand Jain, Zirakpur

Award harsher punishments

No doubt, sexual assaults on women and even girls as small as two to four years old continue with impunity. Greedy lawyers also linger on cases for money. No immediate punishment is awarded to rapist-cum-murderer. Until and unless criminals are awarded harsher punishment like permanently writing “rapist” on their forehead and death for rapist-cum-murderer nothing is going to change. The Nirbhaya rape and murder convicts have yet not been hanged despite three execution orders. The case has been lingering on for more than eight years.

RK Kapoor, Chandigarh

Change in male psyche need of the hour

Incidents of rape and crimes against women are on the rise in the country as a whole. Our city is also not lagging behind in this race. Reasons for the same are not far too seek. The cockeyed view of the present dispensation in power, which has remote control of even judiciary, has delayed hanging of rapists in the Nirbhaya case. It is surprising that our MP, a woman herself, toes the party line on rape cases by holding victims responsible whenever such an unfortunate incident comes to light. A drastic change in the male pysche, not to treat women as usable commodity, and pounce upon vulnerable lonely woman to satiate lust and have sadistic pleasure in doing so, is the need of the hour. Merely, holding protests and silent candle marches will not serve any purpose.

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

Form special team for tricity

Crime against women has increased. More and more people report crime against women. The administration should install more CCTV cameras and increase checking in the tricity. A special team of the tricity police, administration, members of society and NGOs should be formed to check crime against women.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

Deliver judgments at the earliest

The administration should make proper and sufficient arrangements for the safety of women. It should deploy special police force to control crime against women. Cabs and auto-rickshaws should be allowed to ply after proper police verification. Number plates of all vehicles should be readable. Passengers should note down registration number of vehicle before boarding. They must keep a watch on activities of drivers. If in danger, passengers must raise an alarm. The government should frame strict laws to deal with rapists. Courts should deliver judgments at the earliest in rape cases.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

Don’t depend on others for safety

Self-help is the best help. Women should not depend upon others for their safety. They should learn martial arts to handle any untoward incident. They must be bold and vigilant enough to not to fall prey to any person with third grade mentality. The men folk in families should encourage women to be brave. Crime against women happens due to corrupt mindsets of the people and degeneration of moral values. More stress should be laid upon value-based education in our schools so that male members of society be taught gender sensitisation. The Police Department should provide safe environment to women. The number patrolling parties should be enhanced. Special women squads should tackle cases of crime against women. The functioning of women helpline numbers and police stations should be streamlined. Above all, wherever residents notice crime against women in the city, they should speak and act against it instead of being mute spectators.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Chandigarh

Woman’s safety begins at home

Public spaces would get safer for women if our homes are more secure for them. Stalkers and rapists are born in our homes. We need zero tolerance towards violence against women. Ignoring the first mischief emboldens the offender. Evil has to be nipped in the bud. Let every day in practice, be a Women’s Day in our homes, offices and society. Child is father of the man and his encounters witnessed in families, shape his mindset. When our homes are transformed, society will automatically get transformed in due course.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

Amend anti-rape laws

Amend existing impotent laws to award severe punishments in rape and murder/gang rape cases through fast-track courts. Every case should be decided within 90 days. To avoid misuse of money and muscle power, lie detection test should be conducted on all accused. However, tominimise the misuse of law, rape cases should be separated from consensual sex, which has brought huge business for the police and courts.

KC Rana, Chandigarh

If there is a will, there is way

There are many ways to do work. All cause of wrong doings point to the government’s stupor. Crime against women is a national problem and tricity has not been let aloof. There exist similar situations and solutions in other countries too, where cases of crimes against women are fewer. Why can’t methods adopted to curb crimes in those countries be tried in India. We have not changed rules and regulations to solve problems. More than 3 crore court cases are pending. No concrete steps have been taken to address problems lingering since Independence. Mindset of our authorities and people is selfish. That’s why problems exist and solutions are ignored everywhere. Only sincere will of the highest authorities can solve problems.

Ashok Kumar Goel, Panchkula

Control population to curb crime

It’s impossible to manage nefarious activities and maintain proper law and order without controlling the population especially the migratory influx pouring into the city. With the current set-up, the police force is not equipped to handle the situation. It is impossible to provide security to women all the time. The existing force needs much manpower, which also lacks digitisation and upgradation. It is a national problem too. Working women are an easy prey of criminals, especially at an odd timings and late night hours. Political outfits and intellectuals need to move ahead of the vote bank, appeasement politics and bring in a stringent population control bill.

Dr Karan Singh Vinayak, Chandigarh

Teach students to respect women

Women first of all need to learn self-defence techniques to combat rape, sexual abuse, stalking and violence. They need to carry pepper sprays, whistles, and knives with them. They need to be alert and proactive everywhere. The administration should beef-up security in every nook and corner of the city. A police van should stationed at every 1 km. Streetlights must be functional to prevent criminals from take advantage of darkness. Mindset of society needs to be changed. Men should be taught to respect women and moral values right from their childhood. Society needs to change its prospective towards women. Students must be taught to respect women. Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Think before entering into a relationship

The crime against women has been increasing by leaps and bounds in the tricity. Maximum rape cases are reported after breaking of relationships due to non-fulfillment of marriage promises. Girls should be taught to remain vigilant right from home to work places and educational institutes before being emotionally fleeced. They need to become emotionally and physically strong to repulse rape. Many cases are reported in the print, electronic and social media about girls being sexually abused by friends and relatives. Girls must use brains rather than depending on heart before taking any decision to be in relationship. They must also become physically capable to repulse rape attacks from beasts in society.

Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh Minhas (retd.), Mohali

Women susceptible to victimisation

Hardly any day passes when we don’t hear about a case of violence against women somewhere or in the tricity. Women are particularly susceptible to victimisation because their rights are often overlooked and they lack appropriate means of protection. This kind of violence is an extreme manifestation of gender inequality and discrimination. Victims of violence have fear of stigmatisation or societal condemnation and thus often hesitate to report crimes. Protection of women in our country cannot be ensured with just having legislation and guidelines. We as a country need to commit to a culture of zero tolerance for crime against women. We should be vigilant and cognizant of the fact that women are at risk. It is non-negotiable for the state and other duty-bearers to equip themselves in recognising these risks and put robust systems and processes in place to assess and eliminate the same.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

Trends are distorting facts

Modern trends’ mischievously distort interpretation of rape, and exaggerate violence against women. An adult educated woman having enjoyable live-in-relationship or extra-marital relationship, astonishingly one fine day files a complaint against male partner (may be even younger to her) for raping her for years on the pretext of marriage. What sort of rape is this? Even courts are sanctioning their undesired contention. This is rather exploitation of males. Men may remain Romeos as they are by nature, but if women maintain sincerity and dignity, their position may not be as averse as alleged.

MPS Chadha, Mohali

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The Chandigarh police act swiftly in incidents of crime against women by registering an FIR and taking cases to a logical end. To ensure safety of women, cops in civvies are deployed at crowded places, including markets and near girls’ schools and colleges. We also provide self-defence training to students and late night dropping facility to women.

Charanjit Singh Virk, pro, UT police

The UT police should ensure that women feel safe in the city even during late night hours. There should be more police presence in markets and sectors. It will deter anti-social elements from committing crime. Moreover, complaints lodged by women should be dealt with by policewomen only.

Shreya Ashok, student

Any complaint, which prima facie appears to be a case of crime against women, is registered. Secondly, we need to look at the disposal of such cases. Now, women are coming forward because of dedicated women police stations. Preventive measures are also being taken. We have Durga Shakti staff. Field personnel are also sensitised to deal with such cases.

Mohit Handa, DCP, Panchkula

Women should learn martial arts like karate or judo for self-defence. It will help in reducing crime against women. While moving out with any man or boy, a woman should know, who he is. Women should use common sense to judge odd situations. They should also avoid going to isolated places in night hours.

Kesar Singh, SP (Traffic), Mohali

There has been violence against women and girls for quite sometime mainly because of gender bias and stereotypes. However, viciousness against women can be checked through teaching children about respectful relationships and gender equality in their early years of education.

Ria Khurana, Sector 51 resident