CRIME AGAINST WOMEN IN KERALA

As per the state police records, crime against women is on the rise in Kerala. 16,199 crimes against women were reported in the state in 2021.  This rose to 18,943 in 2022. Sexual assault cases also rose from 4,059 to 5,354. Eight dowry deaths were also reported in the last year. According to a report by the Mathrubhumi there were 1784 cases of sexual assault in January 2023 alone. Out of these 223 were sexual assault cases, 629 were insulting the modesty of women and 409 were sexual assault by family members. What a pathetic condition of women in the highly literate state! Dowry related disturbance and cruelty is a usual thing in many houses in Kerala.

Over and above these account, according to the makers of the film, 'The Kerala Story' 32,000 girls belonging to Hindu and Christian communities were found missing during the last ten years from Kerala. They were reported to have taken to Syria and Afghanistan. Unfortunately, our governments do not have time to look for them, as they are all seem to have no time to spare leaving their routine political games.

The girl children in this state is absolutely in a deplorable and woeful environment. The POCSO cases registered in the past few years tells it.

2016-2122, 2017-2697,

2018-3180, 2019-3609,

2020-3019, 2021-3559,

2022-4586, 2023 upto April 1480

It can be undoubtedly said that women is treated as a second graded citizen in Kerala. Women should know that gender equality will not be gifted here. It should be bought individually and collectively. The two certain methods for this are to pursue education as much as possible and to seek legal remedial measures wherever needed without hesitation.

We must also think about an open jail  for offenders of any sorts of sexual harrasment against women. Such people apprehended by the police should be sent to  the open jail with the ratification of the appropriate court. In these jail they should be detained for a minimum period of six months. During the detention period necessary arrangements should be made to reform these people. They should be first examined by the physicians and psychiatrics to find any physical or mental abnormalities that make them lascivious. They should also be provided counsellors from different fields like psychologists, educationists, sociologists, priests, retired police personnel, legal experts etc.

They should be asked to do physical work every day for a given period of time. It should also be ensured that that they are not provided posh food in the jail. Only ordinary simple vegetarian food should be provided.

I request all those who agree the proposal may circulate this as much as possible so that at least an effort can be made to implement these ordinary things.

K V George