The recent report of a sexual attack on a woman student at the Anna University, Chennai, comes as a shock. The offender has no doubt been identified and arrested. The fact that a woman could be assaulted in the heart of the city is a blot on Chennai’s reputation as being safe for women.

Even as this is a single incident, it raises several questions about the efficiency of the police. The record of law and order agencies the world over in such matters is a mixed bag.

The impression among opinion-makers is that there is an air of indifference among police leaders when it comes to safeguarding women. This accusation is only partially correct. Performance standards vary from State to State. We have a police force (including paramilitary forces) of more than two million. We have about 17,500 police stations in the country. It is here that the shoe pinches. Instead of being service centres, many of these have proved to be insensitive to public needs.

In any police station, especially in the rural areas, it is appalling to see the way women are treated, even by policewomen. Induction of women into the police started about 50 years ago with fanfare and with a view to ensuring that women victims of crime receive a sympathetic hearing.

The strength of the women’s wing now is approximately 12 per cent of the total police force. More significantly, there are about 750 exclusive women police stations.

One cannot say with certainty that these changes to the structure of police have ushered in greater gender sensitivity. Even now complaints of molestation and rape are reportedly hushed up, especially in rural India. Influential offenders are still able to go scot-free.

More visibility needed

There are two aspects to the situation. Our cities and towns need extra police visibility in important thoroughfares. This is more easily said than done. In view of the increasing demands on the law and order wings of the police, women protection tasks are sidelined.

Merely enlarging police force is of no avail unless their use is more imaginative and rational. Throwing in more policemen to protect our ministers and dignitaries is downright unacceptable.

There are undoubtedly chinks in the current arrangements to safeguard women in public spaces.

While the police could be more alert during late hours, women, on their part, should reflect on how to organise their routine so as to escape anti-social elements.

The writer is a former Director of CBI