The Hindu : Be polite to women, police told

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 23, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Be polite to women, police told

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE March 22. The Bangalore Police Commissioner, M.D. Singh, on Saturday stressed the need for conducting training programmes for representatives of law enforcement agencies to help them deal with cases related to women.

Speaking at a workshop on "Gender Sensitivity — Police and Law" organised here by the Indian Federation of Women Lawyers (Karnataka) and the Guild of Women Achievers in collaboration with the Karnataka State Commission for Women, Mr. Singh said agencies such as the police should be trained in handling cases pertaining to women with decency, compassion, promptness, and professionalism. Non-governmental organisations and the police should make a collaborative effort to deal with such cases, he added.

Philomena Peris, Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women, said that whenever a woman went to a police station to lodge a complaint, police officers would not consider her plaint seriously. There had been reports of women being abused, assaulted, and treated in an improper way. Police were also reluctant to register complaints related to domestic violence, dowry harassment, pre-marital pregnancy, and child abuse.

There was a need to change the attitude of law enforcement agencies towards crimes against women, she added. Ms. Peris said gender bias existed in the Police Department and women constables were not given due respect by their male counterparts who considered them their subordinates. Therefore, there was no equal distribution of work in the department, and policewomen were not given important assignments.

She said proper implementation of laws related to violence against women was imperative. Women prosecutors should be deputed to look into such cases, she added.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Economists hail State Budget

Budget is unrealistic and lacks vision: Siddaramaiah

Be polite to women, police told

Advocate finds fault with Securitisation Act