A woman is raped every 90 minutes - Women for Rights

 Co-President Saroja Savithri Paulraj speaking at media conference  

A woman is raped every 90 minutes and Sri Lanka is 5th among countries that have a higher rate of domestic violence states  said the  Co-President of ‘Women for Rights’ Saroja Savithri Paulraj  at a media conference held at Hotel Nippon, Colombo recently. She added  “the crime wave, murders, frauds and corruption as well as crime against women are  escalating in the country. Sex violence targeting women and children have increased in many folds. This is a very serious state. This crime wave has developed from the murders of women at Kahawattaa to the incident where a female teacher was forced to kneel down in front of her students and other members of her staff.

The domestic violence too has increased. The domestic violence that was at 60% in 2011 has increased to 80% in 2013. Sri Lanka is 5th among countries that have a higher rate of domestic violence. A woman is raped in any part of the country every 90 minutes. The instances of abuse of women who use public transport are 95%. We have arranged to carry out an awareness programme under the theme ‘Prevent crime, let’s live in peace!’ and a campaign to distribute leaflets throughout the island including Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Kandy, Anuradhapura and Hambantota districts will be held on the 18th.

The use of liquor, gambling and drug menace are directly responsible for the escalation of crime in the country. They have a direct link with crime. More and more people are getting addicted to liquor and women are subjected to abuse by them. The present economic and political situation as well as insecureness has contributed to the escalation of crime in the country. The social consensus has diminished. The government has not been able to create national unity or consensus despite war has been over for more than four years. The government has cast away the opportunity to do so.

Also, communalism and religious extremism have been allowed to grow and let people look at each other with suspicion. Now a debate has been engineered regarding religion, clothes worn by women and the food we take. The rulers, while getting people to fight among themselves after shattering unity and trust among communities, are carrying out their despotic agenda. This social disintegration has escalated crime.

We have always made our society aware regarding injustices to women. We have also carried out agitations against various instances of injustices to women. For example, before Rizana was murdered we pressurized the government to mediate. We have also launched a programme to provide legal assistance to women harmed in the Middle East.

We call upon women to be aware of crimes against women, physical as well as mental violence against them. We hope to carry out awareness programmes to make women aware of how to avoid them and protect themselves.”

The President of WfR Sumana Benaragama, Co-President Porshia Hassan and Ms. Kanthi Pushpalatha also participated.