As the nation heads towards an extended lockdown till May 3, boredom is the least of our issues. While the pandemic has lead to an unprecedented scenario which entails the release of prisoners on bail or parole, it has also unearthed a surge in offences especially against women and children. The irksome quarantine has acted like a trigger for the depraved minds creating a grim picture of violence within the four walls. “Violence is not confined to the battlefield”, these words of the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres clearly depict the tragic status quo.
Up to one billion children aged between 2 to 17 years, have experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence or neglect in the past year as per global estimation. Childline helpline 1098- a 24x7 free, emergency phone service for children in need of help, which usually receives two lakh calls in a week has witnessed an enormous increase since March 24- the day when the lockdown was first imposed.
The data of Women and Child Development Ministry represents majority of the callers claiming abuse and the others highlighting issues like stress, physical health, child labour, missing cases, homeless and sickness and queries on coronavirus among others. Violence against children includes all forms of violence against people aged below 18 years, whether perpetrated by parents, caregivers, peers, partners or strangers.
It is not only the children but also the mothers or women in a more exhaustive sense, who face similar atrocities. Domestic violence being the leading crime against women has shown no drop in these testing times. On the contrary the complaints of sexual, physical and mental harassment have also accelerated. A crime like this which usually gets unreported due to various social challenges faced by the individual has been converted to 100 complaints via emails and over 300 complaints related to various offences during the last two weeks.
According to UN Women, a United Nations entity working for the empowerment of women, globally 243 million girls and women aged 15-49 years have been subjected to physical violence perpetuated by a known persons in the past 12 months.
The confinement has fostered an environment of tension making such victims feel more vulnerable, as they are unable to leave their houses. The inaccessibility to various support networks has made it even worse for the children or women to seek help or escape.
It is the need of the hour for the authorities to step in by taking proactive measures to protect the dignity of children and women - their fundamental right as a facet of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, while also ensuring their safety. The judiciary, Government and its law enforcement agencies must mobilise to ensure that such acts of violence are given utmost priority with no impunity to the culprit.
The measures which can be adopted should include enhanced toll free hotlines round the clock, free text message services, remote psychological support, child care cash transfers, other online tools and networks to amplify social support system and a comprehensive mechanism to reach the victims with no access to mobile phones or internet.
It is not only a moral obligation but also a constitutional duty of the government to safeguard the rights and provide protection against violence to every citizen. In consonance with the objectives enshrined in the directive principles of our State policy it is the primary duty of the State to raise the level of nutrition, render food security and bring improvement in public health which would in turn assist in care of the destitute women and children. The crimes during lockdown are not limited to just a few, as novel misdemeanours and ghastly acts have taken the centre stage.
While some of the essential services distributors and retailers are defrauding the consumers even after constant warnings by the authorities, some patients infected with the virus are attacking the doctors and nurses treating them.
Even some of the common masses after defying the lockdown are acting in contempt of the police (including the latest diabolical incident of chopping the hand of the Punjab police personnel), there is an increment in the number of cyber crimes with the sale of counterfeit health care products- masks, sanitisers and substandard personal protective equipments being the most promising venture. While criminals have been swift to seize opportunities to exploit the crisis by adapting their modus operandi or diversifying the criminal activities, it is our window of opportunity to act as vigilant community watchdogs to debunk such offences in every possible way. Stay positive, stay civilised and remain quarantined.
(The author is a practising lawyer in the High Court of Delhi. Views expressed are personal)