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Eve-teasing should be made non-bailable offence: NCW

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has suggested making harassment of women, including eve-teasing, non-bailable offences. Also, those who are witness to such attacks and do not come to the rescue of the victim should be made liable to prosecution, NCW chairperson Girija Vyas told reporters here on Friday.

Ms. Vyas said acts of eve-teasing by way of whistling, winking and stalking should be made non-bailable offences with a minimum punishment of seven years imprisonment.

She said those who are witness to such incidents — whether in public places, offices or elsewhere — and do not intervene to help the victim should also be made a party to the offence.

These recommendations have already been sent to the Union Women and Child Development Ministry in the draft of the Sexual Assault Bill and the amendments to the laws on sexual assault.

The need for a new law on sexual assault was felt as the present law does not define various kinds of sexual assault that women are subject to in the country. Offences such as eve-teasing and molestation are never regarded as criminal offences and there is a need now to include them in the definition of sexual assault, Ms. Vyas explained.

Recommending an amendment to Section 375 of the IPC, the draft Bill suggests that any sexual act taking place against the woman’s (complainant’s) will should be made punishable with the imprisonment of not less than seven years but extendable to 10 years and fine.

The amendments provided will also take into consideration the actions of public servants, superintendents of jails, remand homes or and any member of the management or staff of a hospital with the woman or child in his custody.

Further, the draft Bill says that whoever with a sexual purpose or with the intention to insult women, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object or a part of the body with a intention of intruding upon a woman’s privacy will also be made punishable.

Further, anyone by means of a telecommunications device or by any other electronic form creates or solicits any comment, request, proposal, image or other communication which is obscene, lewd, lascivious or indecent would be covered under the proposed Bill.

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