WB lacks basic infrastructure to tackle crime against women

Facing the ignominy of topping the chart on crime against women, West Bengal is facing a big challenge to tackle the issue as it lacks basic infrastructure including protection officers.
The state has only 21 women protection officers, all on contractual basis, for the entire state and that too without any support staff or basic infrastructure.
"It is true that we have only 21 women protection officers. We need more women protection officers. We do feel that infrastructure and support staff need to be increased. But that's a time bound process, which also needs clearance from finance department," Women Development & Social Welfare Minister Sashi Panja told PTI.

According to NCRB data of 2014, published in 2015, out of the 3,37,922 incidents of crime against women in the country, Bengal has the highest with 38,299 cases. Uttar Pradesh stood second with 38,467 cases.
And in terms of rate of crime against women, Bengal stood second with 85.5 per cent with Rajasthan topping the chart with 91.4 per cent.
While a decade has passed since the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), 2005, was passed, but with lack of basic infrastructure and manpower, justice seems to be elusive for the women who are victims of domestic violence.

PWDVA was enacted primarily to deal with those assaulting or making life of women miserable, by such conduct even if it does not amount to physical ill-treatment. The act also has provisions which provides the woman to seek relief such as protection, shelter and medical facilities, activists say.

But due to lack of proper infrastructure, women who are victims of domestic violence find it tough to get justice due to procedural delays, they say.
"We receive so many cases per month. And I have to tackle
all the cases of the district single-handedly. It takes a heavy toll on us. We are not even provided with a peon in many cases to help us in our job," a woman protection officer said.

Another officer said that recently they were provided with computers but without any proper Internet connection.
"We also have penalty to pay if there is negligence in duty. We are not even permanent staff and paid just a paltry amount of 12,000 per month and that too which is very irregular," Stuti Sarkar, a former woman protection officer of North 24 Parganas district.
Most of the districts have only one woman protection officer, barring few such as Kolkata, which has two.
State Women Commission chairperson Sunanda Mukherjee said, "The state should take steps to increase the status of women protection officers and increase their number," she said.

The Opposition parties came down heavily on the TMC government on the lack of infrastructure in tackling domestic violence against women.
"It is a shame that the state has a woman chief minister whose poll cry was 'Ma, Mati, Manush' (mother, earth and mankind). And women are most neglected and tortured in Bengal. How can only 21 women protection officers tackle domestic violence of the entire state? The state is ignorant towards the plight of women," BJP national spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said.
"This is what can be expected from a state government, which instead of taking action in rape cases tries to save the culprits. So in a state which had once topped the chart of rape incidents, it is expected the state will stay mum on the incidents of domestic violence too," said a CPI(M) leader.

According to NCRB data in 2012, Bengal accounted for 12.7 per cent of all crimes committed against women, including rape, in the country. Bengal reported 2,363 rape cases in 2011.