Delhi police reach out to women via new website

Mariam Zaidi
WVoN co-editor

Police in Delhi launched a new website on Tuesday aimed at women and children.

The Special Police Unit Women and Children (SPUWC) will serve as a medium for better relations and act an easier point of contact for women in Delhi who may feel too intimidated to contact the police directly.

The website will give women access to information and help them register complaints and encourage those experiencing violence, cruelty and dowry demands to get police help.

Despite some high-profile success stories – such as Sonia Gandhi, president of the ruling Indian National Congress and Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo CEO – India has a poor human rights record when it comes to the equal treatment of women.

Crimes against women in India are rampant, especially against those from rural communities, lesser social standing and those who have little or no education.

According to the Azad India Foundation, in 2006, more than 32,000 women were murdered, 19,000 raped and more than 36,000 cases of molestation were registered.

And 2012 was not much better.  The Hindustan Times reported 25 cases of rape, including several brutal gang rapes, and 42 molestations in Delhi, this month alone.

Relations between women and the police in India are generally not good either, with many reports of police brutality and intimidation.  In November last year, a woman was raped and tortured while in police custody in West Bengal.

The launch of the new SPUWC website has been praised by the Chair of India’s National Commission for Women, Mamta Sharma who hopes it will be replicated across the whole of India.