Yes, women need to speak up against any violation of their freedom or personal space. At the same time their is an urgent need to bring about a social change so that the population at large learns to respect women

INDIA IS IN the grip of an image crisis over the frequent crimes against women — cases of rape, molestation and sexual harassment, in particular. Two years ago, December 2012, to be precise, the brutal rape of a young physiotherapy student on-board a moving bus and her fatal injuries left the nation shocked and enraged.

That brave heart has now been immortalised with the “Nirbhaya” tag.

The horror came back to haunt Indians when on December 5, 2014, the rape of a young financial executive by a cab driver from a reputed international public transport firm. The incident attracted similar attention, although not with the same intensity as the winter of 2012, when the citizens from the national capital region were out on the streets of Lutyen’s Delhi protesting.

India doesn’t need any more Nirbhayas.

According to the latest data from Delhi, the number of crimes has doubled year-on-year in 2014, with 1.4 lakh cases being registered till November 30, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. In 2013, the number was 70,000.

Though the Delhi Police data does not talk specifically about rapes or crimes against women, it is only understandable that the number of cases registered under the relevant sections of the law for these too had witnessed a corresponding increase during this period.

Definitely, this data does not mean the national capital region's (NCR’s) population is getting increasingly criminalised within a matter of 365 days. But one can easily imagine that legal awareness among the general public on their grievances and reporting crimes against them or those witnessed by them to the police, has increased over the years.

This awareness has been contributed by the people’s movement of December 2012 against crime perpetrated on women, with more and more women becoming bold enough to go to the police when their individual freedom and personal space have been violated, be it within their homes or outside.

This is the way to go if respect for women has to become a habit for Indians. This doesn't necessarily mean citizens in all cities, towns and villages of the country would have to go on weeks of protests, voluntary or mobilised. But protests do have a place and role to play in a democratic society. There are even better ways and positive means to achieve change.

The Indian government and the state administrations would do well to create mass movements for women’s safety and security, on the lines of the “Clean India” campaign, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

This movement, which we can even name the “Nari Satkaar Abhiyan”, should be initiated by the prime minister himself, just like the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan he launched, and use his popularity to help create a culture of respect for women in the Indian society.

For starters, the governments at the Centre and the states should use International Women’s Day on March 8 to launch the movement with a grand show in their respective capitals. It could be a call for people to a rally to show their support to the movement and to take a pledge.

Having said that, however, this effort can't be a one-man show and the governments need to rope in all sections of society. First and foremost, the police forces of the states should be included in the cause. Police forces need to begin by having a dedicated call centre or a mobile app to which women or persons close to the women in distress can call or message. The police forces should have quick-response teams that can reach the women in trouble, just like a mobile PCR teams of the Delhi Police.

In the early 1990s, when female infanticide was a major social menace in Tamil Nadu, the then state government had taken up a mass contact programme to save the girl child. The Tamil Nadu government had announced several schemes, including an adoption programme, to save the girl child. Several social outfits and religious organisations in the state participated in mass campaign to eradicate the cold-blooded practice of murdering the girl child, either in the womb or soon after its birth. That campaign by the state government had achieved great success.

One of the best efforts that have been an overwhelming hit for decades now, and may be a good model for the police forces, is the pre-paid taxi and auto rickshaw services that the police force in all major cities and town provide today. At the first point of contact, the police should register the auto rickshaw or the taxi that a traveller takes to her destination. The traveller pays in advance, but the driver of the auto rickshaw or taxi gets his due only after he has dropped the passenger and returns to collect his money from the police post. This system will keep a check on the errant public transport drivers.

Can’t a similar pre-paid system, with help from residents associations or market associations, be set up in every locality in all cities and towns to prevent incidents such as the December 5 attack on the young executive in Delhi?

At the same time, religious leaders, community elders and non-government organisations need to communicate to the society that they have influence over how people perceive crimes against women and respect for 50 per cent of the population. Even trade unions in the public transport sector, such as auto rickshaw and taxi unions, should instil a sense of respect for women passengers among their constituents.

With an increase in religious fervour in the country in general, and the sprouting of the ashrams, deras and spiritual institutions across the nation, spiritual and religious organisations attract a mass following. These could be put to best use by their leadership in spreading the good word as part of the Nari Satkaar Abhiyan. All satsang and bhajan programmes at these religious institutions should carry the campaign’s message to the masses.

Community assemblies such as the khap panchayats, sanghs and bhavans, too, could focus their attention and energy to participate in the movement to show respect to womanhood and instil a sense of morality.

Non-government organisations, political outfits, quasi-political outfits and their leaders with a mass reach are among the best tools available to the government and society to bring about a social change.

Crimes against women are a perversion in society that needs adequate treatment. To treat the same, there is an urgent need to change the mindset of the society itself.