Write a debate on the topic social mindset is responsible for crimes agains women
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K.N. Phaneendra, judge, Karnataka High Court, has said that the society needed to change its mindset about women and only if every individual considered protection of women and children as their mandatory duty, crimes against women and sexual attacks on children will come down.
“Any number of legislation and adding more teeth to the existing acts will not act as a deterrent to the increasing incidents of atrocities on women and rising sexual offences against the children, it is only a responsible society which can bring about some hope and reverse the trend,” he said.
Speaking after inaugurating International Women’s Day celebrations and a legal awareness programme here on Sunday, Mr. Phaneendra said that when society failed to protect women and children as envisaged in religious texts, the government had to intervene and enact new laws and strengthen the existing acts to shield women and children from attacks.
The judge said that even stringent laws had not helped in stopping atrocities on women or sexual offences against children. He said that the tendency to misuse the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act should be avoided and these acts enacted to protect the women should be used judiciously. The judge later gave away cheques of Rs. 1 lakh each as micro loans sanctioned by the Women Development Corporation to two Stree Shakti groups “Vaishnavi” and “Anjum” in Kalaburagi.
Gender equality
E. Yerriswamy, lecturer, Department of Women’s Studies, Kannada University, Hampi, is of the view that gender equality is possible only when men and women changed their mindset.
Delivering a lecture as part of International Women’s Day, organised by the district unit of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions in Ballari, he said that there was no gender equality in the society mainly because of a “patriarchal system”.
Restrictions were imposed on women while men were left free. “Though struggles/movements seeking equality and empowerment of women are being held all along, it only helped mount pressure on the government. The government too, on its part, has been according priority to empower women and yet inequality continues. For what is sought is not given while that is given is not helpful. As such the much needed change in the mindset of the men and woman is still eluding, which is unfortunate,” Dr. Yerriswamy said.
Encouragement
Instead of confining women to kitchen and household works, they should be encouraged to exhibit their talent and contribute for the welfare of the nation, Minister for Social Welfare H. Anjaneya has said.
Speaking after inaugurating International Women’s Day celebrations in Chitradurga, he said that there was a need to create a conducive atmosphere for women to come out and exhibit their talent in different fields.
Awareness
It is high time that we focussed on helping women to acquire the knowledge of laws to fight harassment, atrocities and the suppression which they face in daily life, Principal District and Sessions Judge M. Ramesh Rao has said.
Inaugurating a function as part of International Women’s Day in Dharwad, Mr. Rao said successive governments had framed laws to prevent crimes against women. However, discrimination against women had continued.