Chennai is a safe place for women, says T.N. Minister

Chennai is among the safe cities for women, where students from all places come to study, said Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment P. Geetha Jeevan in the city on Tuesday (February 11, 2025).

Chennai is among the safe cities for women, where students from all places come to study, said Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment P. Geetha Jeevan in the city on Tuesday (February 11, 2025). In other States, incidents [of crimes against women] were being “hidden,” she alleged.

Responding to a query on remarks reportedly made by Governor R.N. over the safety of women in Chennai, Ms. Jeevan said: “He may be speaking out of ignorance. Or he is aware but still chooses to speak this way. If he compares it with other States, he would know.”

During an interaction with reporters, the Minister said: “Chennai is a safe place. Students from various places in Tamil Nadu come here for education. So, he could not make such a contention with one or two incidents reported here and there.”

In other States, offences against women were being “hidden” and not being reported, but in Tamil Nadu, the media was bringing out all the incidents, the Minister said.

When asked about criticism being raised over offences against women and children in Tamil Nadu, she said: “We must encourage and motivate them to come forward to give their complaints, and we must give them protection.”

Earlier, in many cases, parents were “suppressing” them from giving complaints but that was not the case now, the Minister said. Recalling a recent incident involving the Railways, the Minister said since then, there have been many calls on the helpline.

“Women and children have the awareness now, and many of them are coming forward to give complaints. Another reason is the media that is bringing out all the incidents.”