Women should learn boxing and karate to protect themselves: Mary Kom

MC Mary Kom, an Olympic medallist and Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha on Wednesday expressed deep concern over increasing rapes and crimes against women.

The world-class boxer also suggested that women should learn boxing and karate to protect themselves.

"Sometimes it is very shocking for me, every month we have seen rape stories in our country, crime is increasing day by day and rape cases are also increasing day by day. For women's safety, of course, the government will take steps. My point of view is to motivate women to learn something to protect themselves. Women can learn boxing and karate to protect themselves," Mary Kom told ANI.

In the ongoing winter session, many women MPs demanded strict punishment, including 'public lynching', for culprits of the rape and brutal murder of a woman veterinarian in Telangana's Shamshabad,

"These types of people (rape accused in Telangana) need to be brought out in public and lynched." Samajwadi Party Rajysabha MP Jaya Bachchan had said.

When Mary Kom was asked whether she supports hanging the rapists in public or lynching them, she replied: "Government has decided the punishment. I am not the right person to speak on that. But punishment should be given to the culprits, if we do not punish them, then the crime will continue."

Mary Kom is the only woman to become World Amateur Boxing champion for a record six times. She is the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the first seven World Championships, and the only boxer (male or female) to win eight World Championship medals.