New Delhi, July 15: Vijaya Rahatkar, the chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), has responded to a recent ruling by the Patna High Court. She emphasized that the interpretation of sexual offenses should not be limited to mere physical acts. The dignity of the victim, her consent, the fear she experiences, and the mental trauma resulting from the incident must also be given equal importance.
Rahatkar stated that the purpose of justice cannot be confined to a technical interpretation of the law. If the judicial process strays from the victim’s experience and the fundamental spirit of the law, it is natural for societal trust in the justice system to wane.
The NCW chairperson acknowledged that courts make decisions based on the law and available evidence. However, if a victim does not receive complete justice even after an 18-year-long judicial process, and if serious offenders do not face effective punishment, it undermines women’s confidence and their faith in the justice system.
She asserted that protecting women’s dignity, bodily autonomy, and constitutional rights should be the highest priority of our justice system. In this context, she welcomed the clear, sensitive, and victim-centered approach adopted by Chief Justice Suryakant. Rahatkar expressed her belief that our justice system will continue to strengthen its sensitivity and victim-centered approach while safeguarding women’s dignity and rights.
Leave a Comment