Campaign aims to stop crime against women

 A group of 25 organisations came together here on Saturday to launch a global campaign aimed at stopping violence against women.

The ‘One Billion Rising’ campaign aims to catalyse communities, groups and individuals to raise their voices and take action. The launch at Jamia Millia Islamia is a lead-up to February 14, 2013, where a billion people will rise for the campaign across the globe.

“We are not just battling with silence but with indifference bordering on apathy. Let the campaign resonate in those very spaces which matter,” said Syeda Hameed, member, Planning Commission.

Women’s rights activist Kamla Bhasin said the rising violence against women was not about statistics but how long could it be tolerated.

“Today is a day dedicated to making a commitment to zero tolerance against violence against women by making governments accountable and society responsive for ending it,” she said.

In 2011, the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) indicated that incidents of rape increased by 873 per cent between 1953 and 2011 at a rate three times faster than all cognisable crimes put together, said a statement issued by the groups.

Human rights activist Vrinda Grover brought to the fore the violence perpetrated by security forces, extremists, castiest forces and neo-capitalists. According to the United Nations, one in three women in the world experiences assault and violence in their lifetime.