A Comparative Study of Sexual Crimes against Working and Homely Women

Sexual crimes against women are on the rise. Sexual harassment is abusive, uninvited and unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature, typically in the work place, which may include bullying or the inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. These (working and homely) women face many risks, Including physical violence and rape, both in their work and when trying to negotiate Safer-sex practices. It can be verbal or physical, and it is often perpetrated by a person in a position of authority against a subordinate. The crimes are widely prevalent in every society, though most of them remain undetected and unreported. In India, sexual harassment, molestation and rape of women are common. Most of these sexual crimes are being committed by relatives and close acquaintances of the victim. Sexual crimes against psychiatric patients are also increasingly being reported. There is need to increase the public awareness and speedily implement the existing laws to curb this rising menace. Awareness must be created in the community to motivate the victims to report; also more and more reporting centers (in community with NGO's or hospitals) must be opened to overcome the fear and lack of faith in the law-enforcing agencies. The available literature has provided insights into the problem and revealed promising intervention strategies for the remediation of the situation, suggesting that sexual crimes against women can still stop or decries if provided with the appropriate help.