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| Govt fails to abide by MHA advisory | | Rape cases on rise in J&K | | Akshay Azad
Jammu, Dec 15: The insensitivity of state government towards rape victims could be well gauged from the fact that despite increase in number of rape cases in Jammu and Kashmir, the State Government has failed to comply with the advisory of Ministry of Home Affairs, issued in year 2009 to all state governments and Union Territories. According to official sources, the number of rape cases in the last three years has shown an increase. With 245 cases registered in year 2010, 277 cases were registered in year 2011 and 303 in the year 2012.
Despite a clear surge in cases of this heinous crime, the State Government has remained insensitive towards the plight of women and has ignored the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Home in this regard.
"On September, 4, 2009, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had issued a detailed advisory to all state governments/ Union Territory administrations, including Jammu and Kashmir to take comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the machinery for ensuring safety and security of women and control of crimes committed against them in country", sources said.
They further said that according to paragraph XVI of advisory, the specialized Sexual Assault Treatment Units would have been developed in government hospitals having a large maternity section. Moreover, sources said, the XVII paragraph of advisory stated that the Health Department of the State Government should set up "Rape Crisis Centers" and specialized "Sexual Assault Treatment Units" (SATUs) at appropriate places, but so far not a single such unit has reportedly maintained.
Sources further said that the Rape Crisis Centers (RCCs) set up by the Health Department could assist rape victims and provide appropriate level of coordination between police and the Health Departments facilities for medical examination to establish forensic evidences, SAT Units and medical facilities to treat after effects of sexual assault. "Hence these RCCs could act as an interface between the victims and other agencies involved", the advisory had stated but showing utter disregard to advisory of MHA, State Government has so far failed to provide such facility.
Castigating the state government, a doctor preferring anonymity said that a rape victim has to bear mental trauma even after assault, as she is kept in general wards of hospitals, where many people target rape victim and subject her to humiliation. "At one hand conscious of country had shaken but no initiative in this regard has been taken by State Government", he said.
Sources in the MHA, maintained that despite the fact that Union government especially the MHA was deeply concerned with the welfare of women and children but State Government has failed to do its bit. |
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