While Goans, and very rightly so, took to the streets from Panjim to Porvorim, from Vasco to Margao for justice for rape victims in Kathua and Unnao, some of those candles and genuine outpouring should also have been saved to throw light on the 1774 cases of cruelty against women in Goa in the past four years. Rapes, kidnapping, molestation, eve-teasing, cruelty to married women, dowry, dowry death, domestic violence, abetment of suicide, indecent representation of women and immoral trafficking are all offences registered across police stations  in Goa, with some of them pending in various courts.

This is a serious wake up call, for those who believe, and there are many here, that these things happen in ‘North India’. The changing times and to a certain extent due to the changing demographics and the massive influx of people outside the State have to be seen in the backdrop of this sudden spurt of cases, without once suggesting that they are responsible. But it is undeniable that the increasing mix of the population in Goa (as opposed to the population of Goans) coincides with the same time frame, as the spurt in rapes and other crimes against women in Goa with the rider that there cannot be a direct linkage.

The figures are alarming, to say the very least. In Goa, as we have reported in this edition, 322 rape cases were filed between January 2014 to November 2017 which corresponds to almost seven rape cases every month in the State, which in turn results in more than one rape case a week. Does Goa therefore have the right to call it-self devoid of a rape culture.

And as people have literally erupted over the Kathua and Unnao rape, Goa’s policing and justice system quite obviously needs to work efficiently in disposing off cases where justice is finally delivered to the victim. 

At the same time the investigation machinery, the police in Goa, haven’t managed to get any convictions, based on thorough efficient research. This investigating machinery has a job to do and let them do it.

Meanwhile, even as this was being put to bed, the government’s largely expected ordinance, giving death penalty for child rapists and increasing terms for other categories was announced. The Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act will be amended to introduce a new provision to sentence convicts of such crimes to death.

The ordinance also prescribes that there will be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years.

The sheer anger of common men and women in India, who are taking to the streets, could well be used smartly by the ruling party to seemingly send a message of taking effective action (and that too with elections not too far away).But efficiency lies in effectively using existing provisions, and conducting an absolutely thorough investigation to get to the bottom of the crime. That will be far more effective than making amendments.

In Goa too, different organisations should work with government, both as allies and watchdogs, so that the objective of giving justice to victims of any age really is achieved.