Low conviction rate cause for increase in sexual assault

Women activists delve into reasons

Rathi Rao of Samatha Vedike, Mysore, on Wednesday alleged that conviction rates in the rape cases are low.

Addressing a seminar on ‘Increasing sexual assaults: Social and scientific causes, preventive measures’ organised by Mahila Munnade Sangatane in the city, Rathi Rao said
only seven per cent of rape accused are convicted for the charges and sent behind bars. 

She attributed it to the loopholes in the investigation of the cases and also the mentality of judges denying justice to the victims. Rathi Rao said female child is deprived of education, nutritional food and suffers sexual harassments and assaults. She lamented that the girl child is subjected to atrocity in all walks of her life. Owing to the absence of a secured atmosphere, parents of girl child still worry till their wards return home.

Prof Roopa regretted that women are subjected to sexual assault every 20 minutes.   She voiced against treating both the victim and the accused in a similar manner. Moral education for children should begin from home. It may help in curbing inhumane activities.

Mallige of Mahila Munnade said, government should ban obscene advertisements rather than pointing fingers at women and holding their dress sense responsible for such incidents. 

Kamala of the same organisation said a society which doesn’t raise against the atrocities committed agianst women, then the society cannot be called a civilised one.