In view of the recent spate of rape cases, the Government is planning to launch a media campaign for the positive portrayal of women in media as rising vulgarity and obscenity is often cited as the prime reason for crime against women.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry and Women and Child Development Ministry is holding consultations with stakeholders in this regard. They are also mulling appointing an ambassador to promote the message that families and society which value their women, can only progress
The general perception — as reflected in the debate in the Rajya Sabha on the gruesome rape of a five-year-old child — is that vulgarity in films and TV which project of women as an object of desire is responsible for rape and other heinous crime against women. The Justice JS Verma committee constituted after December 16 gang-rape incident had also recommended that the Government should take measures for the positive portrayal of women to check these crimes.
I&B Secretary Uday Verma recently held a meeting with senior officials of the WCD Ministry to discuss the details of the campaign. The idea of appointing an ambassador to promote positive image of women had come up at the meeting, sources told The Pioneer.
Significantly, the WCD Ministry had earlier roped in film actor Aamir Khan for its campaign to fight child malnutrition. But at present it is not clear as to who will take up the cause of preventing crime against women.
I & B Ministry has held meetings with media bodies like Indian Broadcasting Federation, National Broadcasting Association, Censor Board, public representatives and others to discuss how women could be positively portrayed.