What can make women safer in cities?

Jyoti Singh alias ‘Nirbhaya’, the victim of gang rape in Delhi in 2012 and who succumbed to her injuries, wanted the rapists to be set on fire, says a magistrate who recorded her statement. Never mind that the Supreme Court’s order upholding the death sentence to the four accused notes that she was not in a position to speak and confirmed multiple choice questions put to her with gestures.

But it is safe to presume that most victims of rape would like to see the culprits suffer and humiliated in public. Jyoti Singh’s parents also said last week that their search for justice would end the day the four rapists were hanged. One other rapist committed suicide, or was killed in prison, while a sixth one escaped the noose because he was declared to be a juvenile.

Not all rapists, however, get the death sentence and even rapists of Bilkis Bano in Gujarat, who smashed the head of her three-year old daughter before gang-raping her, have been given life imprisonment. The accused are likely to appeal to the Supreme Court and the court’s decision will be watched with interest.

But an even more important question is whether the death sentence to the accused will make Delhi safe for women? What indeed will make it safer?

Low Conviction rates

National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data still pegs the rate of conviction in rape cases at around 29 %. With the NCRB recording 34,651 cases of rape registered with the police in 2015 (the figures for 2016 are yet to be uploaded on its website), there is a case for ensuring that under-reporting be reduced, that cases are investigated by, preferably, police women and cases are tried in fast-track courts.

The NCRB website notes that, though, the number of rape cases were 34,651, the total number of sexual offences registered by the police across the country in 2015 were 1,30,195, while the total number of ‘crimes against women’ registered in 2015 were a whopping 3,27,394.

Women Police Stations

There are just 548 all-women police stations in the country, out of a total of over 15,000 police stations. The highest number of such stations is in Tamil Nadu, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. Most of these police stations, however, neither work with local communities, or NGOs, nor are equipped to do any counselling.

Can rapists be identified in advance?

In every locality, it is possible to identify people who are prone to violence, public nuisance and alcoholism. Policing should include taking the local community into confidence and keep a watch on troublemakers. Often a summon to the police station could restrain their behaviour. They need counselling and community support, which is missing.

More women in the police

Women cops make up just 6.44 % of the 17 lakh state police personnel in the country. The highest number is said to be in Chandigarh. Clearly, there is an urgency to recruit more police women and take the percentage to 33%, if not 40%.

Reclaiming public spaces by women

Even in cities, public spaces like parks, bus stands, cinema halls, buses etc. are not considered safe for women, especially late in the evening. This can only be countered if a much larger number of women reclaim these spaces. Facilitating this endeavour is essential for enhancing the sense of security among women.

Better lighting of streets, better public transport for women, more women driving auto-rickshaws and buses, more patrols by police women, Helplines, radio chips to send out distress signals etc. are already in public discourse.

The point is that hanging four rapists alone will not make women safe. In fact, this may arguably increase the risk of rapists seeking to kill their victims to avoid them giving ‘dying declarations’ and certain conviction.