SEXUAL HARASSMENT

“Forgetting is difficult. Remembering is worse.”

Sexual harassment word had become a terror for every girls and women heart. Usually, girls and women used to face sexual harassment had to suffered so many problems such as mentally depressed or some kind of medical issues. Usually, women and girls is not able to line her life properly as compare to before women don’t file case against because of terror and they used to think what society will think about them?

Nowadays, the scenario had been changed after Nirbhaya case (2012) which happened in Delhi and Asifa Bano case (2018) which happened in Kashmir and which changed the perspective of people in our society.

According to the National Crimes Records Bureau, in 2016 the rape of minor girls increased by 82% compared with the previous year. Chillingly, across all rape cases, 95% of rapists were not strangers but family, friends and neighbours.In 2016, according to the NCRB data, the total crimes were recorded to be 2.97 million while the crime rate was found to be 379 crimes per lakh population. The National Crime Records Bureau 2016 the government agency that keep track of the country’s crime rates – cases of violent abuse of women have steadily increased from 2009.

From 2013, the number of such a kind of act or incident has been increased by over 50 to 75% and in 2017 it is increased up to 90 to 95%. Sexual harassment includes different kinds of crimes which are mention in Indian Penal Code 1860 are:

• Section 294: Performing obscene acts and songs in a public place it means that a random person sees you and sing the song in public place or do anything which make you feel uncomfortable. So, he will be liable for imprisonment of up to 3 months or fine or both.
• Section326A: Acid Attackin this imprisonment shall not be less than five year or which may extend to seven years or fine or both.
• Section354: Assaulting or using criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty. The person will liable for imprisonment of up to two years or fine or both.
• Section354A: Sexual Harassment:

Following issues against crimes:

1. Physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures.
2. A demand or request for sexual favours.
3. Showing pornography against the will of a woman.
4. Making sexually coloured remarks all these states sexual harassment.

The person who commit this offence they will liable for imprisonment for up to one year or fine or both.

• Section354D: this section deals with stalking the girls and women in online media is increasing day by day or stalking personally the girls and women. The person who commit such crime will be liable for imprisonment for term of five years or fine or both.
• Section376: It deals with punishment of rape. The person who such offence will be liable for imprisonment for the term which can be of seven years or can exceed till imprisonment of life or fine or both.

Nowadays, crime against minors are also increasing such as rape and sexual harassment and etc. So, POSCO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offence) it means raping minors. Who are below the age of 12 year.

How to prevent ourselves and what step we could take to prevent ourselves from crime or how collect evidences?

1. Try to record the incident by phone.
2. Try to leave clue where crime happened it can help the police officers during investigation.
3. Suppose a person has been raped, so within 24 hours do your medical test because after 24 hours DNA of other person don’t remain in your body. So, then it is difficult to identify the person.

By

Chikita Malhotra

Amity University, Raipur