SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024
Ajit John
It has not been a very good time to be a woman in Goa. These were some of the disturbing incidents reported in the state. A minor girl was allegedly kidnapped and raped by a 31-year-old man. Then last week the body of a woman in her 20s was found on Calangute beach in North Goa on Thursday, a day after she was reported missing by her family. And yes two under aged girls were gang rape on Goa’s Benaulim beach. Now here is data that will shock you. The state has seen at least four cases of crimes against women every week since 2017. Is Goa now unsafe for women? Women of all ages in the state had much to say. Valerie Afonso, a student, said as a woman she did not feel safe in Goa anymore. Once upon a time, she said Goa was comparatively safer than the rest of India, but sadly, that was changing. Strict measures she said needed to be enforced to ensure safety. The police needed to be more vigilant, and not come under any influence. Sabira Shaikh, a student of St Joseph Vaz College, Vasco said the cases being reported indicate that Goa was no longer the safe place it was perceived to be. The government she said was instructing women as to when they could go out and when not to. She said “They should enable the security system irrespective of the time and place the women travel, there are several situations and places where women have to go for jobs, meetings or any particular purpose. The government is no one to stop the people it has to ensure proper security. With regards to the investigation on the recent case which took place in Calangute, I think it was too soon and needs more clarity.” MC Myra D’Costa an Event Host and Freelancer who due to the nature of her job sometimes has to go home late was blunt about the state of affairs. She said “As a woman, we always have been told to conceal our thoughts. But over a period of a month, Goa has truly seen a side that not only makes us insecure but also living in constant fear thinking is we next? Work and the daily task has become a challenge with the restrictions from family. Parents please train your daughters how to use Taser guns, pepper sprays and to be brave and alert at such times and not have them be afraid of something that’s not their fault”. Alita Fernandes a freelance social media marketer said with the events that had taken place within a matter of a few weeks in Goa, it’s not easy to not be scared or worry when loved ones were out and alone. She said “Honestly, these events have made us more aware that individually; we have to take charge of our safety, be brave, alert, and prepare ourselves better. I understand at times, standing up for ourselves is easier said than done; that’s why we need to look out for each other too”. Ms. Bandisha Parwar an asst professor at a college in the state said “ As a woman every morning when we go through the newspapers filled with headlines reporting cases of sexual assault, sexual harassment, rapes, violence against women we feel threatened and unsafe. In a short span of time these highly disturbing cases have highlighted the ineffective approach towards women safety. Women are vulnerable towards the degrading morals of our society”. She said she wanted the state government to take immediate action and prioritise women safety in the state. She felt an efficient helpline system working 24x7focusing on issues related to women safety was important. The law she said should give justice to the victims in a short period of time. The right and freedom of every woman she said should be guarded as well as respected by our government as well as by every individual of our society. True that. Stefanie Lucas felt Goa was turning into Delhi. She said “Goa was never like this. It is shameful to see rapes are increasing in our state. Now every time girls want to step out of their house, we’ll have to think twice before doing so. Instead of trying to control girls, please make Goa safe again. It is the responsibility of every citizen including the government”. Joann Fidelia Sequeira was blunt when she said “ I can say this with guarantee that there is not one woman who can proudly say that she feels safe and protected in our society. Over the past years we have heard about such brutal cases of sexual assault and violence against women be it gang rapes, domestic violence, acid attacks, trafficking, kidnapping, murders and the list goes on. Women have to think twice before stepping out at late hours. There is always a constant fear in our minds. And even if we go out we need to have a male partner. And this is so saddening because we do not feel free to go out in our own society. I think more than warning us women about dressing appropriately or not to go out we need to spread awareness about women’s safety. We need to educate people to respect women”. This she felt would only happen if there are stringent laws against the offenders and if the rapist gets equivalent punishment for the heinous and grievous crime they have committed. These laws will only be effective if it is implemented in a time bound manner. The Government she said needed to highlight and address these issues instead of hiding it and instructing women to stay home. Appropriate actions such as increased policing, quick filing of the FIR and prompt investigation, immediate and strict action against the offenders, a special division dedicated to women’s safety needed to be taken. Dolcy Aruna Alvares cried out when she said “ I really do not know where to begin. Goa, my beautiful state, was considered one of the most beautiful and safest state in India. Not only did the domestic tourists flock in large numbers but we were on the global map too. It’s a shame today that every side of Goa is going to the dumps. And the reason for this is “Our Government “. Lately we hear about rapes taking place and the latest one is about a girl who was raped and murdered. It’s sad to know the government (officials) was quick enough to give a statement saying the ultimate cause was due to drowning and tried to hush up the case...now really? Do we buy this story without proper investigation”. She said as a woman she had roamed without fear but now Goa did not look safe for her or other women or young girls. The government, she said, played dirty and did not seem to get to the bottom of the incident and give justice to the common man. She said everyone was asking if this was the Goa for everyone and their daughter. Someone who has spent her life fighting for women’s issues is Sabina Martins. She said when they met with the family of the young girl who was murdered; they learned the line the police was taking would lead it to not being a counted as a murder and there was no sexual assault. They were moving it as an unnatural death, as a suicide. Sabina said “From our experience, we have looked at all the circumstantial evidence, this is a not a suicide. It is a crime and this has to be investigated from their perspective. We often see in cases, 2 reasons why FIR is not filed. It means a lot of work and it is a long drawn out process. If it is registered, then it comes under crime against women. This then gives a bad name to the state.” If cases were registered then how would women feel safe. Cases she said had to be pursued and not left. Bailancho Saad, of which Sabina is the convenor, said it was important for proactive response by the police. She said they would pursue the matter to get the medical report and yes they strongly condemned the circulation of semi nude photos of the girl in social media which violated the dignity of women and was a violation of human rights. It is a long road for women as they have to fight entrenched attitudes from society and the authorities. Corrective action has to be taken now otherwise this will not be a society worth living in.
