New Delhi, April 6 (PTI): Amid increasing incidents of crimes against women, especially in the capital, the National Commission for Women (NCW) today favoured making “stalking” a crime, saying a separate penal code section for the purpose has been drafted by it and sent to the government for necessary action. “Stalking of women should be made a crime and a separate section added to the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to combat it rather than clubbing the offence with eve-teasing,” NCW chairperson Girija Vyas said at a press meet organised by the commission just before the expiry of her six-year tenure.
She said the NCW had included such a provision in the proposed sexual assault bill and has sent the draft of a new proposed Section 509(B) of IPC to the home ministry. According to the draft, any person who stalks a woman with the intention to cause serious harm or injury to her or a third person or apprehension or fear of serious harm or injury to that woman or a third person shall be punished with imprisonment of up to seven years or fine or both. The issue of stalking recently hogged headlines after a Delhi University (DU) student was killed in broad daylight outside her college by a man who was stalking her for sometime.
Vyas said during a recent hearing in DU campus, students raised the issues of installation of cameras, campus guards, special buses and system of online complaint for their safety and the police have agreed to most of them. Similar guidelines are being issued to other institutions across the country. Terming as tragic, the rise in incidents of violence against women, she said proper implementation of laws, setting up of fast track courts, gender-based education and training of police personnel on gender issues can help. On the proposed 24X7 call centre of NCW, she said it is in process and added that at present too, reporting can be done round-the-clock.
Sharing her experience as the commission’s chief for the last s6ix years and elaborating on recent initiatives of NCW, Vyas said the women’s commission should get “more teeth”. She dwelt on a number of recent recommendations and schemes including those related to rehabilitation of rape victims, combating indecent representation of women in audio-visual media and internet and the bill to prevent honour killing. A meeting of a groups of ministers has already been held on proposed anti-honour killing bill, she added.
She said the NCW had included such a provision in the proposed sexual assault bill and has sent the draft of a new proposed Section 509(B) of IPC to the home ministry. According to the draft, any person who stalks a woman with the intention to cause serious harm or injury to her or a third person or apprehension or fear of serious harm or injury to that woman or a third person shall be punished with imprisonment of up to seven years or fine or both. The issue of stalking recently hogged headlines after a Delhi University (DU) student was killed in broad daylight outside her college by a man who was stalking her for sometime.
Vyas said during a recent hearing in DU campus, students raised the issues of installation of cameras, campus guards, special buses and system of online complaint for their safety and the police have agreed to most of them. Similar guidelines are being issued to other institutions across the country. Terming as tragic, the rise in incidents of violence against women, she said proper implementation of laws, setting up of fast track courts, gender-based education and training of police personnel on gender issues can help. On the proposed 24X7 call centre of NCW, she said it is in process and added that at present too, reporting can be done round-the-clock.
Sharing her experience as the commission’s chief for the last s6ix years and elaborating on recent initiatives of NCW, Vyas said the women’s commission should get “more teeth”. She dwelt on a number of recent recommendations and schemes including those related to rehabilitation of rape victims, combating indecent representation of women in audio-visual media and internet and the bill to prevent honour killing. A meeting of a groups of ministers has already been held on proposed anti-honour killing bill, she added.
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