<p>As if being the ‘rape capital’ of the world was not enough, Delhi has also become the stalking capital of the world. It is really unfortunate,” says Swati Maliwal, chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The reference was to the murder last month of a young woman, allegedly stabbed multiple times by her stalker in broad daylight in full view of the public, which did nothing to help her. The entire two-and-a-half minute incident was captured on CCTV camera.<br /><br />A day later, the victim’s family protested at Burari Chowk with her body and raised slogans against alleged police inaction. Maliwal issued a notice to Delhi Police.<br /><br />“I met the mother and other family members of the girl. They have alleged that the girl had submitted a written complaint against the said accused at Burari police station in the first week of May,” the notice to Joint Commissioner of Police Sanjay Singh said.<br /><br />“However, it is alleged that the police did not take any action against the culprit as the father of the man is retired Delhi Police officer and he used his clout to prevent any action against his son. This inaction further emboldened the man to carry out the heinous act,” it added.<br /><br />The relationship between Delhi Commission of Women and Delhi Police is strained – when the two should really be joining forces to fight crime against women in the national capital.<br /><br />Maliwal blames this on police. “The problem is that Delhi Police takes cases of stalking very lightly,” she claims. “Women have often told us that the classic reaction they get from the police is, ‘You weren’t raped now, were you?’ Stalking incidents often lead to heinous crimes like murder and rapes and thus need to be taken very seriously.”<br /><br />The DCW chairperson alleges that some Delhi Police officer pester them with false accusations. She cites the FIR filed against her for allegedly naming in July a 14-year-old girl who was raped in Burari, and then died.<br /><br />She says police caught the accused in that case only after the DCW sent the notice <br />to them.<br /><br />“There is an immediate need to increase and ensure adequate police accountability and responsibility in incidents of stalking, rape and other crimes against women,” she tells Deccan Herald.<br /><br /> Maliwal lists several steps taken by the Commission to prevent such cases and help victims. One such initiative is a helpline.<br /><br />“We launched a 181 helpline for women in March this year. Under this setup, we have a fleet of 22 cars managed and run by NGOs and manned by counsellors. So whenever someone dials the helpline, she is attended to by one of our cars,” she says.<br /><br />“We also step in and ensure an FIR is filed when a woman complains that the police are unwilling to register a case. Sometimes, the woman is unsatisfied with the progress or response of the police in a particular matter. The commission, in such cases, issues notices and summons concerned police officers. The commission sits the victim and the police down and tries to sort out all outstanding issues,” she adds.<br /><br />The DCW chairperson says some victims of acid attacks and other crimes have been provided jobs with the DCW to rehabilitate them. “But we are facing an inquiry by the Anti Corruption Branch in this matter. Let’s see,” she says.<br /><br />She says more needs to be done. “If you ask me, the government needs to increase resources allocated to the DCW as well as the Delhi Police. The police have often complained about the lack of resources required to carry out necessary actions needed to prevent and solve such cases,” she says.<br /><br />Maliwal says out of 31,000 cases of crimes against women registered in Delhi between 2012 and 2015, only 146 convictions took place. The commission has time and again recommended that trials in such cases need to be fast tracked.<br /><br />“Convictions in cases of crimes against women need to increase and fast tracked. Such cases, along with the stigma society often attached with victims, will only reduce when strict, swift and stringent punishment is delivered upon the perpetrators,” she says.<br /><br />“The government needs to come up with agendas and rehabilitation programmes to reduce social stigma as this is outside the DCW’s mandate. The Delhi Commission for Women has also given certain recommendations and suggestions and we hope that the Centre and state government seriously look into them,” Maliwal says.<br /><br />The DCW says it will soon bring out with an interim but extensive report on two major police stations in Delhi on how they deal with cases of crime against women. The chairperson says they hope to release the findings of their research next week.<br /><br />“In our country, nobody takes up issues that really matter. When we raise a lot of questions — about stalking, rapes, murders, acid attacks, etc — we irk people with vested interests. As a result, we are the ones who are counter-questioned and harassed. But hopefully, we will overcome all obstacles and make Delhi safe,” Maliwal says.<br /><br /><br /></p>
<p>As if being the ‘rape capital’ of the world was not enough, Delhi has also become the stalking capital of the world. It is really unfortunate,” says Swati Maliwal, chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The reference was to the murder last month of a young woman, allegedly stabbed multiple times by her stalker in broad daylight in full view of the public, which did nothing to help her. The entire two-and-a-half minute incident was captured on CCTV camera.<br /><br />A day later, the victim’s family protested at Burari Chowk with her body and raised slogans against alleged police inaction. Maliwal issued a notice to Delhi Police.<br /><br />“I met the mother and other family members of the girl. They have alleged that the girl had submitted a written complaint against the said accused at Burari police station in the first week of May,” the notice to Joint Commissioner of Police Sanjay Singh said.<br /><br />“However, it is alleged that the police did not take any action against the culprit as the father of the man is retired Delhi Police officer and he used his clout to prevent any action against his son. This inaction further emboldened the man to carry out the heinous act,” it added.<br /><br />The relationship between Delhi Commission of Women and Delhi Police is strained – when the two should really be joining forces to fight crime against women in the national capital.<br /><br />Maliwal blames this on police. “The problem is that Delhi Police takes cases of stalking very lightly,” she claims. “Women have often told us that the classic reaction they get from the police is, ‘You weren’t raped now, were you?’ Stalking incidents often lead to heinous crimes like murder and rapes and thus need to be taken very seriously.”<br /><br />The DCW chairperson alleges that some Delhi Police officer pester them with false accusations. She cites the FIR filed against her for allegedly naming in July a 14-year-old girl who was raped in Burari, and then died.<br /><br />She says police caught the accused in that case only after the DCW sent the notice <br />to them.<br /><br />“There is an immediate need to increase and ensure adequate police accountability and responsibility in incidents of stalking, rape and other crimes against women,” she tells Deccan Herald.<br /><br /> Maliwal lists several steps taken by the Commission to prevent such cases and help victims. One such initiative is a helpline.<br /><br />“We launched a 181 helpline for women in March this year. Under this setup, we have a fleet of 22 cars managed and run by NGOs and manned by counsellors. So whenever someone dials the helpline, she is attended to by one of our cars,” she says.<br /><br />“We also step in and ensure an FIR is filed when a woman complains that the police are unwilling to register a case. Sometimes, the woman is unsatisfied with the progress or response of the police in a particular matter. The commission, in such cases, issues notices and summons concerned police officers. The commission sits the victim and the police down and tries to sort out all outstanding issues,” she adds.<br /><br />The DCW chairperson says some victims of acid attacks and other crimes have been provided jobs with the DCW to rehabilitate them. “But we are facing an inquiry by the Anti Corruption Branch in this matter. Let’s see,” she says.<br /><br />She says more needs to be done. “If you ask me, the government needs to increase resources allocated to the DCW as well as the Delhi Police. The police have often complained about the lack of resources required to carry out necessary actions needed to prevent and solve such cases,” she says.<br /><br />Maliwal says out of 31,000 cases of crimes against women registered in Delhi between 2012 and 2015, only 146 convictions took place. The commission has time and again recommended that trials in such cases need to be fast tracked.<br /><br />“Convictions in cases of crimes against women need to increase and fast tracked. Such cases, along with the stigma society often attached with victims, will only reduce when strict, swift and stringent punishment is delivered upon the perpetrators,” she says.<br /><br />“The government needs to come up with agendas and rehabilitation programmes to reduce social stigma as this is outside the DCW’s mandate. The Delhi Commission for Women has also given certain recommendations and suggestions and we hope that the Centre and state government seriously look into them,” Maliwal says.<br /><br />The DCW says it will soon bring out with an interim but extensive report on two major police stations in Delhi on how they deal with cases of crime against women. The chairperson says they hope to release the findings of their research next week.<br /><br />“In our country, nobody takes up issues that really matter. When we raise a lot of questions — about stalking, rapes, murders, acid attacks, etc — we irk people with vested interests. As a result, we are the ones who are counter-questioned and harassed. But hopefully, we will overcome all obstacles and make Delhi safe,” Maliwal says.<br /><br /><br /></p>
