RAPE IN THE METROPOLIS: THE GEOGRAPHY OF CRIME IN DELHI AMITABH VIKRAM DWIVEDI College of Humanities & Social Sciences Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University,
[email protected] Abstract: This paper is a study of rape in the national capital of India, and the focus is on the amendments of rape law aftermath 12 December 2012 crime. It questions at the safety and security issues of women in the metropolis of India, and it also discusses critically how laws amendments have been made aftermath this barbaric crime. Though this paper doesn’t set an inquiry yet it provides common criticism against the new amendments and it remains observational in nature, and sets a study. The temporal aspect revolves around the gang rape case of December 2012, but it also peeks in the past for the reference purpose only. The insensitive reactions from the political party leaders and religious leaders also find a space in the paper to show the general reaction of the society. The urban middle-class carefree attitude is reflected by an example of a popular reality show. But finally this paper advocates for lengthy prison sentences that have some behavior-altering deterrent value. Keywords: amendments, rape, metropolis, safety and security issues, women. INTRODUCTION Is rape a private matter that should not be discussed in a public domain? Of course, not! New Delhi, a metropolis, is again in limelight for wrong reason: 2012 Delhi Gang Rape Case; and this paper is a study of it. It questions on the safety and security issues of woman in the metropolis of India, and it also discusses how laws amendments have been made aftermath this barbaric crime. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB1) recorded the capital accounts for over 47% per cent of rapes and abduction of women in urban India. Mishra in Women Safety in Delhi says ‘for women across India, fear is a constant companion and rape is the stranger they may have to confront at every corner’ (Mishra 2009: 2). After every unfortunate incident of rape the general reaction of most of the people is: what was ‘she’ doing in an unsafe place in the night; was ‘she’ with her boyfriend; was ‘she’ drinking and eating in the hotel alone? It seems that the mindset of the people has not accepted the process of urbanization and migration fully, and they still think that inhospitable and harsh cities will stop the migration and consequently crimes will stop in the metropolis. But, this time, fortunately the resiISSN 2283-7949 GLOCALISM: JOURNAL OF CULTURE, POLITICS AND INNOVATION 2014, 3, DOI: 10.12893/gjcpi.2014.3.6 Published online by “Globus et Locus” at www.glocalismjournal.net Some rights reserved 2 AMITABH VIKRAM DWIVEDI dent of this transit city came out from their shelters with one voice for a demand for justice to the victim and to hang the culprits, though the religious and political party leaders were busy in making their usual insensitive remarks e.g. a controversial religious guru Aasaram Bapu’s statement that the girl could have escaped rape had she addressed the rapists as “brother”, international president of Vishva Hindu Parishad Mr. Ashok Singhal was busy in criticizing Western Culture, Madhya Pradesh Industry Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya had been advising women not to cross their lines, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat shrugged this off by describing it as an urban phenomenon, Shafiqur Rehman, a member of a parliamentary committee on Home Affairs from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), held women’s irresponsible dressing codes responsible for the assault, Andhra Pradesh Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana fantasized why do women need to travel in the night?, and many narratives would soon be in the line with these which show the s