There's still a problem with regard to the
plight of women being harassed in India despite all the initiatives put in
place over the years. The horrific crimes committed on women that have been
reported recently, such as the gang rape as well as the murder of an aspiring
doctor in Kolkata has reinforced the need for gender-safety. Yet, with the help
of various laws and increased awareness, there are horrendous instances of
violent crimes committed against women, including intimate violence and sexual
assault and crimes connected to the dowry. India has implemented a number of
legislative reforms to curb the criminal acts that target women. This is why in
2013, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013 was a major step towards increasing
the severity of punishment for sexual assault and in a change to the standards
for sentencing that govern sexual crimes. However, it's implemented as a
challenge the law that was previously in place. There are often significant
time delay between the court and legal process, whereas the implementation of a
law can be sporadic and insecure, which has the consequence that there's not
much motivation for those who could be committing crimes. One of the biggest
problems faced by the Indian Government when it comes to ensuring security of
women is that many of the cultures are still strong and have a patriarchal
outlook across the country. Female victims are often believed to be in the
wrong and women's rights are restricted by the rules of society. The dominant
culture of the society poses some challenges when it comes to pursuing justice
and in the need of assistance for women. It's time we examine the current state
of safety for women in India as well as the obstacles they face and the
fundamental changes needed to ensure a safe female-friendly environment.