Justification of violence against women by courts citing personal reasons such as one’s attire gives cause for concern, Kerala Women’s Commission chairperson P. Satheedevi has said.
Ms. Satheedevi said the observation of the Kozhikode District and Sessions Judge, while granting anticipatory bail to writer Civic Chandran in a case of outraging of modesty of a woman, was unfortunate.
She said at the time of granting bail, going beyond the circumstances for bail and deciding that the case would not stand and then giving bail could not be accepted. Making such observation even before evidence could be presented and the trial held was tantamount to rejecting the woman’s complaint. This sent a wrong message in cases of a grave nature such as those related to sexual violence.
This incident comes at a time when the Gujarat government’s decision to allow the release of those convicted in the Bilkis Bano case was being discussed widely.
There was a need to rethink such decisions that caused apprehensions among women, Ms. Satheedevi said.
