Women Rights
10 Legal Rights Every Woman Must Know :-
Knowing the times that we are in ,we give you, yet again an overview of
some important Legal Rights for women that everyone must be aware
of.
Free Legal Aid :-
Exercise your Right to Free Legal Aid. Often,women go to the Police
Station unaccompanied by a lawyer to get their statement recorded
and they stand the risk of being misquoted or their statement being
tampered with .The police may also treat the entire episode lightly and
not lodge an FIR. So ,it is necessary to have a lawyer with you while you
lodge the FIR. “According to a Delh iHigh Court Ruling ,whenever a
rape is reported ,the SHO has to bring this to the notice of the Delhi Legal
Services Authority.The legal body then arranges for a lawyer for the
victim,
”
says Saumya Bhaumik,Women Rights Lawyer
Right to Privacy While Recording Statement:-
UnderSection164oftheCriminalProcedureCode,awomanwhohas
beenrapedcanrecordherstatementbeforetheDistrictMagistrate
whenthecaseisundertrialandnooneelseneedstobepresent.
Alternatively,shecanrecordthestatementwithonlyonePoliceOfficer
andWomanConstableinaConvenientPlacethatisnotcrowdedand
doesnotprovideanypossibilityofthestatementbeingoverheardbya
fourthperson.Thecopshavetobylaw,upkeeptheWoman
’
sRightto
privacy.It’
simportantforthepersontofeelcomfortableandnotbe
underanykindofstresswhilenarratingtheincident.
TimeDoesn
’ tMatter:-
ThePolicecannotrefusetoregisteranFIRevenifaconsiderableperiod
oftimehaselapsedsincetheincidentofRapeorMolestationtook
place.Ifthepolicetellsyouthattheycan
’ tlodgeyourFIRsinceyou
didn
’ treportitearlier,donotconcede. “Rapeisahorrifyingincident
foranyWoman,soit’
snaturalforhertogointoshockandnotwantto
reportitimmediately.Shemayalsofearforhersafetyandthe
reputationanddignityofherfamily.Forthisreason,theSupremeCourt
hasruledthatthePolicemustRegisteranFIReveniftherehasbeena
gapbetweenthereportandtheoccurrenceoftheincident,
”
says
TariqAbeed,advocate,SupremeCourt.
EmailtoTheRescue:-
AccordingtotheguidelinesissuedbytheDelhiPolice,awomanhasthe
privilegeoflodgingaComplaintviaEmailorRegisteredPost.If,for
somereason,awomancan
’ tgotothePoliceStation,shecansenda
writtencomplaintthroughanEmailorRegisteredPostaddressedtoa
SeniorPoliceOfficerofthelevelofDeputyCommissioneror
CommissionerofPolice.TheofficerthendirectstheSHOofthePolice
Stationoftheareawheretheincidentoccurred,toconductproper
verificationofthecomplainantandlodgeanFIR.ThePolicecanthen
comeovertotheresidenceofthevictimtotakeherstatement.
CopsCan
’ tSayNo:-
ArapevictimcanregisterherPoliceComplaintfromanyPoliceStation
undertheZeroFIRrulingbySupremeCourt. “Sometimes,thePolice
Stationunderwhichtheincidentoccursrefusestoregisterthevictim
’
scomplaintinordertokeepclearofresponsibility,andtriessendingthe
victimtoanotherPoliceStation.Insuchcases,shehastherighttolodge
anFIRatanyPoliceStationintheCityundertheZeroFIRruling.The
SeniorOfficerwillthendirecttheSHOoftheconcernedPoliceStation
tolodgetheFIR,
”
saysAbeed.ThisisaSupremeCourtrulingthatnot
manyWomenareawareof,sodon
’ tlettheSHOofaPoliceStation
sendyouawaysayingit “doesn
’ tcomeunderhisarea
” .
NoArrestsAfterSunset:-
AccordingtoaSupremeCourtruling,aWomancannotbearrested
aftersunsetandbeforesunrise.Therearemanycasesofwomenbeing
harassedbythePoliceatweehours,butallthiscanbeavoidedifyou
exercisetherightofbeingpresentinthePoliceStationonlyduring
daytime. “EvenifthereisaWomanConstableaccompanyingthe
Officers,thePolicecan
’ tarrestaWomanatnight.IncasetheWoman
hascommittedaseriouscrime,thePolicehastogetitinwritingfrom
theMagistrateexplainingwhythearrestisnecessaryduringthe
night,
”
saysBhaumik.
YouCan
’ tbeCalledToThePoliceStation:-
WomencannotbecalledtothePoliceStationforinterrogationunder
Section160oftheCriminalProcedureCode.ThislawprovidesIndian
WomentherightofnotbeingphysicallypresentatthePoliceStationfor
interrogation. “ThePolicecaninterrogateaWomanatherresidence
inthepresenceofaWomanConstableandFamilyMembersor
Friends,
”
saysAbeed.So,thenexttimeyou
’
recalledtothePolice
Stationforqueriesorinterrogationwhenyouhavefacedanykindof
harassment,quotethisguidelineoftheSupremeCourttoexerciseyour
rightandremindthecopsaboutit
ProtectYourIdentity:-
Undernocircumstancescantheidentityofarapevictimberevealed.
NeitherthePolicenorMediacanmakeknownthenameofthevictimin
public.Section228-AoftheIndianPenalCodemakesthedisclosureof
avictim
’
sidentityapunishableoffense.Printingorpublishingthe
nameoranymatterwhichmaymakeknowntheidentityofaWoman
againstwhomanoffensehasbeencommittedispunishable.Thisis
donetopreventsocialvictimizationorostracismofthevictimofa
sexualoffense.EvenwhileajudgmentisinprogressattheHighCourt
oraLowerCourt,thenameofthevictimisnotindicated,sheisonly
describedas
‘
victim
’ inthejudgment.
TheDoctorCan
’ tDecide:-
Acaseofrapecan
’ tbedismissedevenifthedoctorsaysrapehadnot
takenplace.Avictimofrapeneedstobemedicallyexaminedasper
Section164AoftheCriminalProcedureCodeandonlythereportcan
actasproof. “AWomanhastherighttohaveacopyofthemedical
reportfromthedoctor.Rapeiscrimeandnotamedicalcondition.Itisa
legaltermandnotadiagnosistobemadebytheMedicalOfficer
treatingthevictim.Theonlystatementthatcanbemadebythemedical
officeristhatthereisevidenceofrecentsexualactivity.Whetherthe
rapehasoccurredornotisalegalconclusionandthedoctorcan
’ t
decideonthis,
”
explainsBhaumik.
EmployersMustProtect:-
ItisthedutyofeveryemployertocreateaSexualHarassment
ComplaintsCommitteewithintheorganisationforredressalofsuch
complaints.AccordingtoaguidelineissuedbytheSupremeCourt,itis
mandatoryforallfirms,PublicandPrivate,tosetupthesecommittees
toresolvemattersofsexualharassment.Itisalsonecessarythatthe
committeebeheadedbyaWomanandcomprise50%Womenas
members.Also,oneofthemembersshouldbefromaWomen
’
s
WelfareGroup.