Women in the city still struggle to find their feet even as they battle many gender-based issues and rising crimes against them. Year after year, women get no respite from brutal cases of stalking and murder.
A few weeks ago, the murder of a young teacher killed inside a classroom by a spurned lover in Cuddalore shocked everyone.
In yet another case, a woman, Sandhya, was murdered by her husband and dismembered and her body parts were scattered at Pallikaranai dumpyard and maybe elsewhere. Her husband S R Balakrishnan killed her on suspecting her fidelity, even as the couple had filed for divorce.
If one thinks that only young women are subjected to sexual assault, think again.
A few days ago, three young men, aged 17, gangraped an elderly woman in her house in MKB Nagar. Last year, a 11-year-old speech and hearing impaired girl in Ayanavaram, was sexually abused by 17 men who worked in her building. According to police sources, crimes against women are mostly carried out by people known to them.
A police source said, “Stalking, eve-teasing, murder, cyber-related crimes, domestic violence and dowry harassment are some of the violations faced by women. In most crime cases against women, the offenders are known to the victims – be it stalking or murder.”
In most cases, this is also a reason why police claim they cannot prevent it.