Overview Wo e ’s empowerment,it refers to

empowering women to be self-

dependent by providing them access

to all the freedoms and

opportunities, in a specific sense,

women empowerment refers to

enhancing their position in the power

structure of the society .

Women today are trying to

understand their position in the

society. Women have become

increasingly aware of sexual

inequalities in every sphere of life

and are seeking ways to fight them.

Powers To Women. . . Hindu law has been changed and modified. Far-reaching

changes have been introduced in the Hindu Marriage Act.

Women have been given right to divorce in certain cases.

Besides this, the Hindu Succession Act has given to the

daughter; the right to the property of her parents. Our

Constitution has given equal

rights to women. No distinction

has been made on the basis of

caste, religion or sex. Their

rights have thus been protected.

Thirdly, three percent reservation

for women is apt to be enacted

in the future.

The phrase violence against women is a technical term used to

collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively

committed against women. Similar to a hate crime, which it is

sometimes considered, this type of violence targets a specific group

with the victim's gender as a primary motive. The United Nations General Assembly defines "violence against

women" as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is

likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to

women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary

deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.

Women Empowerment- still an illusion of reality: Not-withstanding the remarkable changes in the position of women

in free India, there is still a great divergence between the

constitutional position and stark reality of deprivation and

degradation. Whatever whiff of emancipation has blown in Indian

society, has been inhaled and enjoyed by the urban women, their

population belonging to the rural areas are still totally untouched by

the wind of changes. They still have been living in miserable

conditions, steeped in poverty, ignorance, superstition and slavery.

There still exists a wide gulf between the goal enunciated in the

Constitution, legislations, policies, plans, programmes and related

mechanisms on the one hand and the situational reality on the

status of women in India, on the other. The human rights scenario in

the country continues to be dismal and depressing.

Women Empowerment- still an illusion of reality: (cont . . .) What are the reasons for this sorry state of affairs ? Issues may be various and

varied, however a few basic issues deserve specific mention :

Lack of awareness

Lack of social and economic empowerment

Lack of political will

Feebleness of accountability mechanisms

Lack of enforcement by the police force

Lack of gender culture

The question arises, how greater participation

of women in politics can be achieved ? Generally, the answer is suggested in

the form of 'reservation'. However, mere reservation will not solve the

problem unless and until women are given commensurate powers to

function effectively and they themselves become more conscious and aware

of their rights and duties.

The 2012 Delhi gang rape case involves a rape and

murder that occurred on 16 December 2012 in New

Delhi, when a 23-year-old female physiotherapy

intern was beaten and gang raped in a bus in which

she was travelling with her male companion. There

were only six others in the bus, including the driver,

all of whom raped the woman. The woman died

from her injuries thirteen days later while

undergoing emergency treatment in Singapore. The

incident generated widespread national and

international coverage and was condemned by

various women's groups, both in India and abroad.

Subsequently, public protests against the

Government of India and the Government of Delhi

for not providing adequate security for women took

place in New Delhi, where thousands of protesters

clashed with security forces. Similar protests took

place in major cities throughout the country.

Delhi Rape

Steps to be taken for safety: • Stage One: ESTABLISHING SAFETY

– Treatment aims:

• Securing safety

• Stabilizing symptoms

• Fostering self-care

• Stage Two: REMEMBRANCE AND MOURNING

– Treatment aims:

• Reconstructing the trauma

• Transforming traumatic memory

• Stage Three: RECONNECTION

– Treatment aims:

• Reconciliation with self

• Reconnection with others

• Resolving the trauma