By IANS,
New Delhi: Delhi is said to be unsafe for women at night. A new study now says the city is equally unsafe by day.
According to the Centre for Social Research (CSR), a non-government organisation, incidents of rape occur in the city during the daytime too.
“The research proves that Delhi is equally unsafe for girls even during daytime,” a statement from the CSR said Friday.
The research is based on a study of 58 first information reports (FIRs) filed in rape cases in the southwest police district of the capital city.
As high as 30 percent of rape incidents were between 12 noon and 6 p.m., and 12 percent between 6 a.m. and 12 p.m.
“This data reveals the lies of the Delhi Police commissioner, who recently said, ‘You (women) can’t go out at 2 in the night and then say you were the victim of a crime’,” the CSR statement said.
According to the CSR, 18 women are raped or molested every hour in the country, and most of the sexual offences are committed by close acquaintances.
“Rape is soon becoming an increasing form of violence against women. As many as 18 women are battered in some form or other every hour across the country,” the CSR said.
According to the study, some 22 percent of the rape cases were of girls below ten years of age and 31 percent of older school and college girls.
The age group of the accused varied from below 18 years to above 50 years.
“When CSR did an in-depth study of the relationship of the accused and the victim, it was appalling to find that in most of the cases, the offender was a close acquaintance of the victim,” the statement said.
In 22 cases, the accused were neighbours of the sufferer; in five cases the attackers were relatives, and in 10 cases the offenders were friends.
“Shocking findings also emerged of the accused being a father, husband, brother, teacher, lover and stepfather,” the CSR survey showed.
The study adds that the victims, in many cases, did not lodge a complaint immediately.
“Out of the 58 cases, only 27 victims lodged the complaint on the same day, 18 victims lodged a complaint a day after the incident, and 12 cases after longer period,” it said.
“Another reason for the victims not filing their complaints is because they fear a reprisal from the assailant,” it added.