Preventing Violence against Women in India

Violence against women is a drag on the Indian economy, but there are steps for the international community and the Indian government to take to address this growing problem.On January 13, 2014, a 51-year-old Danish woman was robbed, beaten, and gang-raped in India. This is one of many incidents in which foreign women traveling in India have been victims of such crimes. In recent years, women from Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Poland, Switzerland, China, Canada, France, and South Korea have been similarly attacked in India. Due to the increasing rate of attacks, many of these countries have issued statements warning women to be extremely cautious while traveling to India, especially to New Delhi. India’s image is declining around the world and it is far from being considered a safe destination for female travelers.In 2013, approximately 6.4 to 6.8 million tourists traveled to India compared to 132 million in China and 14 million in Singapore. Despite the relatively low number, India is quite reliant on its tourism sector. Tourism accounts for 6 percent of India’s gross domestic product and 39 million direct, indirect, and induced jobs — or 5 percent of total employment. India’s deteriorating reputation both domestically and internationally has begun to negatively affect its tourism sector. According to an article in The Telegraph, the highly publicized rape of an Indian student in New Delhi in December 2012 resulted in a 35 percent decline in female tourists in the next three months and a 25 percent decline in overall inbound tourism. In a way, this decline in image has coincided with and may have indirectly contributed to the downward shift in economic growth from 9 percent in 2010 to 5 percent in 2012.Unfortunately, sexual violence in India is a grave issue and has deep roots. India’s patriarchal and misogynistic culture is responsible for a society in which a woman is considered a liability or a burden on her family. The dowry system, although prohibited by law, has reinforced this problem. Additionally, male domination has led to growing rates of violent acts such as dowry deaths, domestic abuse, and rapes. Sixty million women are considered ‘missing’ from the population in India due to these crimes. Furthermore, the justice system is excruciatingly slow: the National Crime Records Bureau reported that 85.1 percent of rape cases investigated in 2012 were still awaiting trial. Indian society tends to blame the victim for her own rape and usually places the burden of proof on the victim rather than on the perpetrator.Since India is an emerging market, especially for trade and investment, and is gaining prominence in the global arena, the rising trend of sexual violence cannot be treated as a strictly domestic issue. Other nations, especially the United States, must urgently pressure the Indian government through political and economic means to change the mindset and approach of policymakers and other high-ranking officials. This will compel officials to implement institutions, policies and laws that empower women, provide quick and effective justice for victims of sexual violence, and potentially deter further occurrences of sexual violence. The United States must economically pressure Indian corporations by requiring them to more favorably balance the employed percentages of men and women to qualify for trading purposes. Similarly, the United States must politically pressure Indian officials to immediately set up fast-track courts to address cases of violence on priority, and review and reform the sexual abuse and rape laws in India. Additionally, the United States must back initiatives that support the development of Indian institutions that strengthen the ability of women to fight sexual violence.In addition to such suggested governmental action, international non-governmental organizations must immediately establish a base in India to work directly with the local women. These organizations can work towards empowering women, especially through rehabilitation and education in self-defense and legal rights. For example, the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) is an organization in Ahmedabad, Gujarat that helps women gain employment and become self-reliant in obtaining food, safeguarding health, increasing assets, and becoming literate. According to an article in the Times of India, in 2013 Gujarat was considered one of the most secure states for women in the Female Security Index. The actions of groups such as SEWA are empowering women in the state of Gujarat; if these actions are implemented on a national scale, the country as a whole can become a secure place for women. Therefore, a top-down approach by the foreign governments and a bottom-up approach by international organizations can bring about a much needed cultural and institutional change in India.