Caritas India Calls for consultation on Crimes against Women and Children
New Delhi (Press Release) In the wake of unabated reporting of rape and sexual crimes that continue to make headlines and even as fast track courts are being set up along with dedicated “women in distress” helplines, Caritas India is seriously concerned with India’s lack of gender sensitivity and the growing trend of violence against women and children.
Crime against women continues even after a month from the infamous rape in the Capital on December 16. The media continue to report incidents of sexual crime from across the nation.
In an effort to respond the issue of crime against women and children, Caritas India, the social wing of Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) plans to hold a daylong consultation, on February 1. The consultation is expected to be attended by 60 personnel from ten networking partners in the city. Speakers include General Secretary, AIDWA, Ms. Sudha Sundaraman, Director of Joint Women’s Program (JWP) Dr. Jyotsna Chatterjee and Advocate Souamya Bhaumik.
Apart from sensitizing its staff in the Head office in New Delhi, the consultation will look at causes and impacts of violence against women and girls, application of the law and role of civil society organisations (CSOs) for advocating and preventing violence against women in family, workplace and society at large.
Clarifying Caritas India’s opposition to death penalty to rapists, Executive Director, Fr. Frederick D’Souza said “death penalty is only elimination of the offender and not the crime.” He however suggested stringent punishment which should not exclude scope for personal change and transformation. He also called on the collective responsibility of the society/state to have adequate systems and policies in place to deter crime and protect life and dignity of every human person.
“God is the author of life and no human being has the right to do away with the life of any human person”, said Assistant Executive Director, Fr Paul Moonjely. For a civilized society, it is essential to think of civilized means in treating criminals. Criminals are made and criminality is perpetrated in the society for various reasons. If people are dangerous they should be confined and refined through appropriate measures and legal enforcements.
“The need of the hour is to revolutionize our thinking through education” shared Patrick Hansda, a staff of Caritas India. Team Leader for Gender Programmes, Ms Shimray, said violence against women and children, especially girls, is partly the result of gender relations that assumes boys/men to be superior to women/girls. Given the subordinate status of women/girls, much of gender violence is considered normal and enjoys social sanction.