The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Do All Women Police Stations measure up to expectations?

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Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Do All Women Police Stations measure up to expectations?

L. Srikrishna

Crimes against women are increasing, say activists

CHENNAI: Twentyfour years ago, the State Government opened the first All Women Police Station (AWPS) at the Thousand Lights police station in the city to handle cases of crime against women.

Now, there are 35 AWPSs attending to such cases in the city. But the moot point is whether such police stations, exclusively for women, have made a difference to the victims. While women activists say that the crimes against women is rising steadily, the custodians of law feel that stringent laws protecting women had definitely deterred the offenders to a great extent.

For instance, cases like ragging in educational institutions had almost come to nil. Many campuses are now free from the menace and disciplining students, particularly seniors, is easy, say college authorities and counsellors.

But what is worrying the police are the crimes such as dowry harassment and dowry deaths. Commissioner of Police G. Nanchil Kumaran said the total number of cases reported in 2005 was 599, which slipped to 213 in 2006 and till July 31, 2007, the crimes against women stood at 384.

The cases are categorised under dowry harassment, dowry death, eve-teasing, molestation, attempt to rape and rape.

On an average about three to five petitions addressed to the Commissioner of Police were received at the daily grievances meeting. They are directed to the officers concerned for action, an officer at the Commissionerate said. “We get the action taken report within 10 days and it is forwarded to the higher officers for further action”, he said.

A woman officer at the Thousand Lights AWPS said the petitions received from women were handled by counsellors who try to sort out differences between the couple. But if the case is complex and the woman petitioner has suffered abuse or physical torture, we register case under the Dowry Harassment Act.

The Domestic Violence Act, however, does not find a mention from the officers, giving credence to the criticism about the lack of awareness amongst the police officers about it.

Lawyers said most of the cases that are counselled in the police station would technically fall under the realm of protection offered by this Act and should, in fact, be referred to the protection officers.

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