Nothing has changed in past decade, says DCW chief Maliwal on 11 years of Nirbhaya case

Asked about a recent National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report that said crimes against women had shot up in Delhi, Ms. Maliwal said there is no fear of punishment in those who commit such atrocities.

Nothing has changed in the past decade and crimes against women in Delhi have only gone up, DCW chief Swati Maliwal said on December 16 on the 11th anniversary of the Nirbhaya incident - a brutal gang-rape and assault case that stirred an outpouring of anger and grief, followed by the passage of several new sexual assault laws in the country.

A 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who came to be known as "Nirbhaya (the fearless one)", was raped and assaulted by six men inside a bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012, before being thrown out of the moving vehicle. She died from her injuries on December 29 in Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital, where she was flown by air-ambulance.

"A tragic incident happened with Nirbhaya in 2012 when she was gang-raped. That girl died in agony," Ms. Maliwal told PTI.

"At the time of the incident, people came out onto the streets to seek change. But despite years after that tragedy, we stand at the same place. Crimes against women are increasing day by day. Nothing will change until the criminals are scared that the system would not spare them for such crimes," she added.

The Delhi Commission for Women chairperson called for certainty and swiftness in punishments and said governments should take such sensitive cases "seriously".

"We need certainty and swiftness in punishments and such matters need to be taken seriously by governments. Police strength and (the number of) fast-track courts should be increased. We need a system where justice is assured swiftly and systematically," she said.

"Every December 16, politicians talk big about bringing change but (those are) all in vain," she claimed.