December 17, 2007

Dec 2, 2007
DNA
Sexual abuse is on the rise in city colleges
MUMBAI: According to a recent study on sexual harassment in Mumbai’s colleges conducted by Akshara, a city-based NGO, 61 per cent of the 533 female students interviewed had been sexually harassed in colleges, either by their peers or by staff. It’s not just girls who are being victimised. More than half of the 327 male students interviewed also admitted to having been sexually harassed during their college years.

Nineteen-year-old commerce student Ameeshi Khanna steers clear of her college staff room. This was where she was sexually harassed by her principal three months ago. It was only after weeks of counselling and reassurances from her teachers that she resumed attending lectures in the suburban college. The researchers spoke to students from 44 city colleges in South Mumbai, Western and Central suburbs, and Navi Mumbai, which included academic institutions like St Andrews, KC, St Xavier’s and Somaiya Colleges. The findings also revealed that 66.7 per cent of the male students admitted to have sexually harassed their victims ‘just for fun’.

Dr Nandita Gandhi, co-director of Akshara said: “Sexual harassment can range from eve-teasing to molestation and rape. A majority of the victims are females, while most of the male students are perpetrators.” The study stated that almost all the female students resort to absenteeism when sexually harassed.
DNA dt 11th Dec 2007
Blood ties
On June 7, 2006, the convict had tried to rape his 13-year-old daughter while his wife and two other children were not at home. But the victim pleaded to the court to show leniency towards her father


A girl’s plea for leniency towards her father, who tried to rape her, has helped him get off lightly with a court awarding him a two- ear jail term and recommending counselling on family values. Moved by the 13-year-old victim’s plea that she still loved her father and wanted him back in the family, additional sessions Judge Reena Singh Nag observed that he should be aided effectively in assimilating into society during his sentence. “It is observed that the victim has shown her immense concern, love and affection for her father and stated while testifying in the court that she wants her father to mend his ways,” the court noted while citing various Supreme Court and Delhi high court judgments. Pointing the need for “correctional behavioural therapy” of the 32-year-old convict, the court has asked Tihar jail authorities to ensure that he attends meditation and yoga classes regularly. The jail authorities have also been directed to ensure that the convict gets counselling from psychologists. The court further directed the social welfare department to seek the assistance of NGOs and probation officers to take care of the basis needs of the family and the education of the convict’s four daughters. The convict was held guilty by the court on the basis of the testimonies of his daughter and wife.On June 7, 2006, the convict attempted to rape his daughter while his wife and two other daughters were not at home. The victim told her mother about the incident after she came back and a police case was lodged. The prosecution went on to prove the charges against the accused.