Battered better-halves
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: December 07 2012 -

In consonance with the United Nations General Assembly resolution 54/134, November 25 has been designated as International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women to raise awareness of the fact that women around the world are subject to rape, domestic violence and other forms of violence, and the scale and true nature of the issue is often hidden.

The date also marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism to fight violence against women that will lead up to Human Rights Day on 10 December. Around a decade or two back, such observances may not have been much of significance in Manipur.

Because at that time, to talk of crime and violence against women in Manipur, in the true sense of the term and magnitude of the problem being witnessed today, would have been something anachronistic.

That was the precise reason, why reports of any crime against women used to make banner headlines on newspapers. But in recent times, rape, harassment, torture, ill-treatment of women have become almost a daily occurrence that one may even find difficulty in locating reports on such cases in some corners of the newspapers.

So, what does this speak of the sensibility of the people in general and that of the media in particular towards the rising graph of crime against women in society?

This a question we need to find an answer in the light of the fact that despite observance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women year after year, women continue to be at the receiving end of violence and crime in this land of Meira Paibis and two Nupi lans.

Based on newspaper reports alone, Women Action for Development (WAD) has compiled a report on the number of crimes against women in Manipur from January to October this year and the figure of 251 cases within the span 10 months is simply astounding and serious enough to awaken the conscience of the people.

But this has not been the case? Apart from these cases which could find some space in media, it is obvious that there would be numerous other unreported cases as the victims did not dare to speak up and lodge complaint with the police fearing social ostracism.

So, we need to find out factors responsible for fueling crime against women and find out effective ways and means to tackle the problem with the seriousness it deserves.

Of course, various new legislations have been brought and amendments made in the existing laws with a view to handle crime against women effectively.

However, contrary to minimization, crime against women has only risen not just in Manipur, but also in other parts of the country.

This shows that something is not right in the existing system and it calls for a special action plan, if we really intend to stop violence against women.

The action plan should take care of gender issue and management to eliminate crime against women. For ensuring gender management, proper education of both male and female members in the society should be given top priority right from early stage.

Given the rising trend of violence against women, the State Government and more particularly the departments concerned also need to response to the growing necessity for providing relief and rehabilitation to the victims.

Only then, any campaign or effort towards checking violence against women could be successful.