J&K: 16 rape cases, 64 incidents of molestation reported amid COVID-19 lockdown

Amid the Coronavirus lockdown, 16 rape cases and 64 incidents of molestations were reported from the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Taking a suo-moto notice of the negative impact of the lockdown imposed due to COVID-19 pandemic on women, a Coram consisting of J&K High Court Chief Justice Geeta Mittal and Justice Rajnesh Oswal had recently issued notices to J&K government and asked it to submit a report with regard to the steps taken regarding domestic or any other kind of violence that women are being subjected to.

A report submitted by the government in the court revealed that 16 cases of rape, 64 cases of molestation, and one case of eve-teasing have been reported in J&K during the lockdown period. It further said that as many as 1,314 calls have been received from the affected persons on the emergency number 181 from March 24 to April 24, out of which 65 were related to violence against women. “The remaining 956 calls were reported by migrant laborers, who were in distress on account of the lockdown,” it said.

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Special fund for violence victims

Each district of J&K has been sanctioned Rs 10 lakh out of SDRF fund for COVID-19 containment, for victims of domestic violence and also for providing temporary accommodation, food, clothing, medical care, etc, the report stated. Additionally, the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRR) has issued directions to all the Deputy Commissioners for designating 10 beds in each District Quarantine Centre exclusively for the victims of domestic violence in the Union Territory, the officer said.

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Court directs action

The High Court directed the government to consider notifying appropriate spaces so that women have easy access to them. The court also directed the Department of Social Welfare and members of State Legal Services Authority to examine the requirements and steps necessary to mitigate the complaints and difficulties of victims of elderly abuse, child violence, violence against disabled and transgenders in the UTs of J&K as well as Ladakh.

Pertinently former chairperson of J&K women’s commission, Vasundhra Phatak Masoodi, had said that she was getting a lot of distress calls from women across the valley complaining about domestic violence amid lockdown.

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