Cutting across party lines, women’s organisations in Prakasam district have launched a joint forum to take up the cause of troubled women.
Briefing media on the deliberations by several women’s organisations on issues confronting them, Mahila Abyudhaya Samiti State president T. Aruna said enactment of laws like the Nirbhaya Act and Disha Act had made little difference in the lives of women as incidents of atrocities against women continued unabated in one part of the State or other. They demanded speedy justice for the victims of sexual assaults and other offences.
A series of crimes had occurred, including burning of a woman and her infant and sexual assault on a woman on the city outskirts, she said and urged District Collector P. Bhaskar to ensure early compensation for the victims.
‘Belt shops growing’
National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) leader K. Aruna said the State government should act sternly to regulate sale of liquor. Though the State government had brought down the number of liquor shops with a view to introducing prohibition in phases, liquor continued to be freely available due to mushrooming of belt shops, she said.
All India Democratic Women’s Association city secretary K. Rama Devi demanded a ban on pornographic websites, which, she opined, were responsible for the spurt in crimes against women.
Explaining the provisions of the Disha Act, YSR Congress Party women’s wing district president G. Sujatha maintained that it was a landmark one enacted by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government providing for stringent punishment for those perpetrating crimes against women, including death penalty and time-bound probe and trial to ensure speedy justice for victims. It would act as deterrence and certainly bring down crimes against women over a period, she hoped.
