Vinay Kumar says that over the last twenty years, gang rapes in Bihar have become much more common, and that this is a really worrying trend. He is urging a complete change in how law enforcement works, and in the attitudes of the public, in order to deal with violence based on someone’s gender.
He said at a workshop about gender based violence at police headquarters in Patna that crimes which would have caused a huge public reaction in the past are now happening more and more often. He also says only about re two percent of sexual harassment and violence cases in Bihar are actually reported to the police, and this is because the police don’t act and they shut down the victims.
What the police chief said
Vinay Kumar thinks people are becoming numb to the problem. He said that twenty years ago gang rapes didn’t happen very often and people were very angry about them, but now they happen more often and society is becoming more accepting of them.
He says a big part of the problem is that crimes aren’t reported, and he directly connects this to how victims are treated at the police station. He believes that if the police are not sensitive to their needs, people won’t make complaints and it will be harder to stop the crimes happening again.
Why the remarks matter
The DGP (Director General of Police) says that the current system is being tested as we already have laws to deal with crimes against women. He emphasized that laws about acid attacks and domestic violence need to be used more strictly; the problem isn’t the laws themselves, but actually making them work.
He also says that the entire justice system needs to be faster. Police, lawyers and the courts should all act quickly to make sure victims get justice promptly. Quick results, he argues, will give the public confidence and stop criminals from doing it again.
Action inside the police ranks
Vinay Kumar has set a standard for how officers should act, and has warned them against being harsh or dismissive to people. He says any officer who doesn’t treat people properly should resign and stay home.
He mentioned a recent complaint in Motihari where a female police officer was accused of getting money from a rape victim in exchange for getting her statement to the court recorded. He called this victimizing the victim again, and said that any officer who does something like that shouldn’t be in the police force. He told all officers, including female officers, to be polite and understanding to the public.
Vinay Kumar mapped out immediate priorities for the force:
– Behave politely and empathetically with the public
– Act proactively to secure timely justice
– Enforce laws on acid attacks and domestic violence
– Reject dowry practices within the force
Zero tolerance on dowry and misconduct
Within the police force itself, Kumar wants a strict approach to dowry (money or gifts given to the bride’s family) practices. He says any officer involved in dowry or who remarries when they are already legally married should be avoided by everyone and suspended from their job.
He says that the police force needs to be trustworthy to begin with. Being honest and having good morals is essential to gaining back people’s trust and encouraging victims to come forward.
Women in the force and the road ahead
Vinay Kumar pointed to an improvement in the numbers of women in the police. Over 30% of the Bihar police now are women, approximately 11,000 women are being trained as constables, and special police groups have been formed to deal with issues relating to women.
But he warns that just having more women isn’t enough to make things safer. Even though there are more and better programs and a higher number of women in the police, things haven’t improved as much as they should because people’s beliefs haven’t changed. He says that to reduce crimes against women, “we need to change how people think.”
Kumar was very direct in his message: law enforcement needs to be improved, police need to be respectful, and society needs to completely rethink its views, and all at the same time. He warns that if that doesn’t happen, then becoming used to terrible crimes will become the normal situation.
