Justice for Jisha

I am on this pages once again for Jisha, a 29 year old who tried hard to fight against all odds and would have succeeded, if it was not cut short, in the most horrific manner. Those who found her says they have not come across such brutality in their life time.

Normally I scan for local news from newspapers, as well as from TV, yet I never caught this news. It never scrolled as breaking news when Kerala has 7 regional news channels. It happened 6 days ago and yesterday, the TV channel, Kairali  commenced a hashtag #JusticeforJisha and only then did the rest catch up. Where were they until then is another mystery but let me give credit where it is due even when I try to forgive the political motivation. I scanned for an English version to post in twitter and realized that no other newspaper had given any importance to this news as yet. Maybe it is the election heat but it is extremely shameful and a very sad state of affairs too.

Jisha, a law student was staying with her mentally unstable mother. She has an elder sister, a divorcee who is staying with her grandmother. Her father abandoned them when she was barely 5 years old and is staying elsewhere. Her mother being a daily wager and had gone out for work on that fateful day and she was alone is their one room house.

KOCHI: In a chilling reminder of the ‘Nirbhaya’ incident in New Delhi, Jisha, an LLB student in Kuruppampady near Perumbavoor was brutally tortured and sexually assaulted before being murdered, revealed the postmortem report.

The report also revealed that the culprit had used a sharp weapon to extract her intestines. Jisha suffered over 30 stab injuries. Her chest was pierced by a double-edged dagger. The severe injury inflicted on her head led to her death, according to the postmortem report. The postmortem was conducted at the Alappuzha Government Medical College.

According to officials, the samples have been sent for forensic examination, and the result is expected within a week.

Meanwhile, the probe into the murder has not gained any significant leads so far. According to the police officers, preliminary investigation revealed Jisha was  murdered when she resisted the rape attempt. The police are yet to ascertain even the exact time of her death. A special investigation team headed by Perumbavoor DySP Anil Kumar is probing the case.

Here is a girl who was trying hard to make it on her own in a State which is generally conducive to such attempts. Or am I living in a fool’s paradise?

The justification for this rape too may come in due course. Even in Kerala there are many enlightened ones who think girls should not venture out of the house after dark to avoid rape and should also choose rape resistive attire (What is that?? ). For such intelligent beings, please chew on this; this girl was in her own house and yet a few decided to rape and kill her brutally, in broad daylight. But the worst fact is that no one thought this was news worthy and hence I am forced to say it here; she was poor and a dalit.

Now one may fault the housing, the location, and even the fact that she did not have a male “protector” in her house. How many girls in our nation can pass all this criteria? Never mind the entire nation, let me only take my own State. My daughter too occasionally lives with her old grandmother in a house which can be broken down if a serious attempt is made.

Knowing Kerala, like the rest, even I would like to suspect the migrant workers who are in abundance in this area. Perumbavoor, a municipality in Ernakulam District is one place where the migrant workers came in hordes more than a decade ago. In fact, this district has the highest number of migrant worker: 8 Lakhs. Yet the State has no foolproof method to organize them. Organizing them is not tough if one demands voter’s card or any other national identity before hiring them. But unless the authority and those who hire them cooperate, this is not going to happen.

But let us not be quick to blame the migrant worker. Here is another case which is yet to be solved and though she was in a “secured” place, she lost the rape fight.

Delayed justice: Kerala HC's order for CBI probe comes out after a yearMahir HaneefOver a year after reserving a case seeking CBI probe for pronouncing orders, the Kerala High Court has finally delivered its judgment on a petition regarding the mysterious death of nursing student Jisamol.| TNN | Jun 12, 2014, 10.21 PM ISTKOCHI: Over a year after reserving a case seeking CBI probe for pronouncing orders, the Kerala High Court has finally delivered its judgment on a petition regarding the mysterious death of nursing student Jisamol.

The case that became notable for the delay was on a petition demanding CBI investigation into the death of Jisamol, a final year nursing student in a hostel at Thrissur. Though the final hearing on the petition filed by the girl's mother, Binny Devasya, was over by April 12th last year and the case was reserved for pronouncing orders, the judgment was delivered only on May 26th this year

The case that became notable for the delay was on a petition demanding CBI investigation into the death of Jisamol, a final year nursing student in a hostel at Thrissur. Though the final hearing on the petition filed by the girl's mother, Binny Devasya, was over by April 12th last year and the case was reserved for pronouncing orders, the judgment was delivered only on May 26th this year.

 CBI probe was sought by the mother into the death of her daughter, Jisamol of Chetupuzha, in her hostel room on December 5, 2005. She was a final year general nursing student at San Jose Parish Hospital at Thrissur. The girl was found hanging dead in the hostel room.

 In the judgment by justice CT Ravikumar, it is held that a CBI probe is needed as local police and crime branch hasn't been able to determine the cause of the alleged suicide even after the long-drawn investigation.

 After conducting an investigation into the unnatural death case, Pavaratty police had filed a report to the magistrate court stating that it is a suicide case. Meanwhile, chemical examiner's report said the girl was subjected to sexual intercourse.

As for the recent victim Jisha , they say it may be too late for the probe. If the rapist was a migrant worker, he may have already left Kerala, and as for neighbors, I think 6 days are more than enough to nab if it was one of them.

The police force in Kerala have always done their best, unless political intervention thwarted their efforts, but this crime is going to stand out as the worst in their history, if the criminals are not found and punished.

Source:
http://keralaonlinenews.com/Kerala/perumbavoor-jisha-murder-case-latest-3855.html
http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/LLB-Student-Sexually-Assaulted-Brutally-Murdered/2016/05/03/article3412486.ece
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Delayed-justice-Kerala-HCs-order-for-CBI-probe-comes-out-after-a-year/articleshow/36450319.cms

Suryanelli

Had meant to keep away from the subject rape since I think I wrote too many posts on the same but yesterday's revelation by an "eminent" judge gave me a sleepless night and I had to vent my fury on this poor blog!

The Suryanelli case must have got the attention of the entire nation since PJ Kurien, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha is also one among the accused. He never faced trial owing to many reasons while the victim continued to stand by her accusation. Initially all accused were punished by the lower court but later when they appealed, the High Court punished only one person to 5 years and let the others free. The reason being the the rape happened due to the consent of the victim! The two esteemed judges ends the 2005 judgement thus:

201. In the fiercely consumerist society that we live in, a young girl child is also exposed to so many temptations that it is difficult for the child which has not been groomed in proper atmosphere with a proper value system inculcated in it, to resist such temptations. Such children can be termed deviants but cannot be merely condemned and left to their fate . They too deserve the sympathy of the system as it is no crime of theirs that they are born and forced to grow up in such atmosphere. It is the duty of the secular state to give the requisite education to instil a proper value system in such future citizens. That must be reckoned as the incident of the constitutional obligation of the State to give free primary education. That obligation cannot be relegated by the State to religious or optional institutions. They too deserve the protection of the law against unintelligent, imprudent and immoral consent being extracted from them at that early age. No one should be permitted by law to rely on such alleged consent given by a minor aged less than 18 years, the fond child of law and equity. I may sum up by stating that raising the age of consent for sexual intercourse to 18 consistent with the stipulations in the saner subsequent enactments appears to be the unavoidable imperative before the system. At least the Kerala Legislature must take bold efforts to bring in suitable local amendments to S.375 of the Indian Penal Code and give leadership to others.

Yet, the reverse is what the judges have done by their judgement. Yesterday Basant reduced this girl to a child prostitute and also added that child prostitution is not rape but is only immoral! One girl's infatuation reduced her to a child prostitute; and all thanks to our eminent judges. With one stroke of the pen these "eminent" judges reduced the  victim to a child prostitute while letting loose potential molesters onto an unsuspecting public!

I doubt if these two gentlemen have ever raised children. We parents do not raise angels; they show many faults and if any childhood offence automatically reduces them to future criminals or prostitutes then strange are the laws that guide this society! 

56. When we read the evidence of PW3, we have to be cognisant of her psyche - her mental make up. Her past conduct and behaviour have to be borne in mind. She was only a student of 9th standard. She had squandered Rs.450/- entrusted to her by her father for remitting hostel fees, whether it was given to Arun as stated by the appellants or to the first accused as stated by the Prosecutor. 

A 9th standard girl's infatuation forced her to give money to her lover; how does this make her deviant? Instead it is very clear that a criminal tendency was shown by the much elder lover who took advantage of the girl's naivety. I know of much older girls with higher education who have fallen for such lovers. 

The case also talks about a letter that was supposed to have been written by the victim stating that she is leaving the house on her accord but this was never produced in court, yet the judges makes a bid deal out of it.

9. It is submitted by the appellants that no conspiracy is proved in this case. There is no cogent evidence in that regard. On the other hand the letter said to be written by PW3 to DW3 in the second case which has been suppressed by the prosecution will cut at the root of the allegation of conspiracy, it is contended.

Throughout the judgement care has been made to make it look as the girl willingly consented to all the accused.

11. It is further contended that even if PW3 is found to be believable otherwise, a conjoint reading of her evidence in toto will show that she was not an unwilling partner for intercourse. So far as the accused are concerned, there was no resistance from her part, so that those who approached her could discern that she was not willing for intercourse or there was absence of consent from the part of PW3. Absence of consent on the part of PW3 has not been satisfactorily proved in this case to bring home the guilt of the accused under Section 376(1) or 376(2)(g). It is further contended that the unwillingness now spoken to by PW3 before the court below is really an excuse found out by her to save her face in the family and among the relatives for her long absence of 40 days from her house. 

When the judges themselves agree that absence of consent has not been satisfactorily proved how did they arrive at such a judgement? Yesterday the judge repeated the visit of the girl to two hospitals and wonders why she never raised an alarm. Were the doctors too a part of this conspiracy? Or was she threatened to behave?

But after reading the entire judgement I now believe that an attempt was made to tarnish the image of the girl and her family and thus make the case weak. This has happened in every rape case and our nation is very familiar with the same. This case has been no different. The judges made no attempt to see through the usual patriarchal turf. They refused to see a girl in captivity raped endlessly by many but they saw a child prostitute willingly submitting to each visitor and taking either pleasure or money in return! I heard one lawyer heaping praises on Basant; but after reading the judgement I find no reason to support her. She should remember that if this incident was to happen to her or me, we would face the same fate. Our imaginary life and character will be written in courts and we will end up as the criminal while the accused walks free as victims of circumstances!

I suspect that this judgement was done in such manner that a re-investigation of the same would be very difficult. But they never expected the Supreme Court to be affected by the recent Delhi rape case. Her death has not been in vain. As someone commented yesterday, the revelation of the judge is also good at this juncture since it revealed the deep prejudices or outside influence that can affect the outcome of a case.

This judgement would also make any future allegation against P J Kurien difficult. But in the case of PJK, times have changed since two alibis( 1, 2) are now talking differently. The most curious fact is that none of them were produced in court or were any written/signed statement produced. I am not sure under what basis PJK escaped law but after reading this judgement any doubt of his innocence have evaporated from my mind. 

I only wish the media will pursue this case with the same vigor that they show now. As for Indiavision TV, the judge accuses them of wrong doing. But the lady reporter did reveal her identity and the judge did see a cameraman accompany her. The eminent Judge must know that journalists are always out for a cause. Basant also repeated the "child prostitute" theory during a seminar. Tehelka might have started sting operations but what Indiavision TV did could not be called such. Anyway, it has been the media which brought out the statement of the two alibis. They need to be applauded. 

But whatever, my only wish is that this girl and her family will be given justice at least after 17 years!

For further reading on gender bias and child prostitution:
http://www.sunday-guardian.com/analysis/ghosts-of-the-past-hover-over-gender-justice
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2013/02/07/breaking-silence-0

Rest in peace..we failed to save your life

Finally the girl who fought valiantly for her life; first from the rapists and later in the hospital has been laid to rest. She surely has found peace at last. But one fervently hopes that the fire that she kindled will not die until concrete steps have been taken to tackle the crime that is growing the fastest (700%) in India. But it is not an easy task at all especially since the mentality of our leaders have not changed at all. I took part in a few discussions in FB and elsewhere and in all, the most number of reasons cited for rape was the women’s way of dressing. Now if this was the real reason, I would gladly embrace it since we are desperately looking for solutions. But it is not. Have a look at the following report from KSA and see for yourself. It says that nearly a Quarter of Children Raped; Up to 46% of Students Suffer from Homosexuality.

Guest - No, I’m sorry, the study was directed at university students. Twenty-three percent had been raped during their childhood. For 62% of those, the rape was never reported. This was because it was one of the victim’s relatives. In the study, it was mentioned that more than 16% of the rapists were relatives, specifically 5% were siblings, 2% were teachers, and 1% were parents. In another study, which was conducted by Dr. In’am (al-Rabu’i), who is the president of children’s studies at the Armed Forces Hospital in Jeddah, she mentioned, or warned, that in the coming years we will suffer as a society from extremely widespread cases of homosexuality. The reason for this is the increase in the cases of sexual assault of children (brought) to the hospital, as well as the societal violence inflicted on children. She also mentioned that the hospital had on average three sexual assault cases per week.

So I hope we have killed the myth that a well dressed woman does not invite rape. In fact I would have posted a picture that made it crystal clear, except that it is too crude.

Actually KSA can take an example from Kuwait where no dress code exists. In malls one can see people not overtly modest or immodest. Not that rapes are rare but I think the stats are much better than that of KSA.

Now coming back to India, we saw how this “Empowered” lady scientist spoke her mind:

Khargone: In a shocking reaction to the Delhi gang-rape victim, Dr. Anita Shukla ironically blamed the victim herself for the crime committed; at a seminar in Khargone,M.P. The police department had called for a seminar on the topic, ‘Sensitivity towards women'. 

She commented, ‘The victim should have surrendered when surrounded by six men, at least it could have saved her intestines'.

However, women can stop such incidences by showing their maturity under such circumstances.

Wow! And there were none with a spine to give this lady a dressing down.

With such women in galore at even the “National Commission for Women”, do we really stand a chance to fight rape effectively? Maybe it is these women whom our President’s son was calling “Dented and painted”? Not that I agree with that dimwit!

This lady must be at an age where she has fought and lost many battles but the girl was not. She was young and she fought her tormentors.  And if this was her fault, I would say that she was not a coward but a brave one indeed. 

I also listened to the doctor who justified the moving of the girl to Singapore. I listened as he praised the kindness of the government in issuing the Passport in 2 days time. Bloody! When will educated ones like him utter the truth! That they were only doing their job. That they are not a charitable institution or a philanthropist to exercise kindness. That they are there with the tax payers money and to do a job. 

One also continues to wonder why the girl was shifted. Though very likely it was in fear of the protesters. 

As a nation we already stand ashamed of everything and now even of our doctors too. We have all become a bad lot!

Justice Verma has asked for suggestions to be sent to his email. Cynical as I am, I think this is only a PR exercise. I am sure he has neither time nor inclination to read millions of emails that would be sent; half of them angry outpourings. But do go ahead and write and don’t listen to this cynic.

The committee headed by former chief justice of India JS Verma sought comments from the public in general, particularly eminent jurists, legal professionals, NGOs, women's groups and civil society members on reviewing the existing laws in a bid to provide quicker justice and stringent punishment in cases of aggravated sexual assault, an official statement said. 
The comments can be sent at justice.verma@nic.in or through FAX at 011-23092675.

As for me all I want to tell him is to change! And if he can, change the attitude of his counterparts too. Next time a rape comes up in courts and the lawyer representing the rapist comes up with the following usual questions: 

1. Why were you out at that time?

2. Why were you wearing a jeans (or whatever) ?

3. Why do you roam around with your boy friend and not with your Father or brother?

4. Many more standard questions..

To all such questions all I want is that he THUNDER from his chair that the question is IRRELEVANT!  That he asks the lawyer to move on to the real issue. If he still does not get it maybe he can picture that it is his son (note that the GENDER is changed) who got raped and mauled. Will the above questions make any better sense? Can our judges see that a girl has been attacked and that all she is seeking is justice against her attackers?Nevertheless, let me wish that the following would be done ASAP. 

Police stations shall have specially trained personnel to handle rape related cases. Let them have a separate office for the same. Let there also be NGO’s who shall coordinate with the victim from the time of the filing of the FIR until the case is settled. Let these policemen be trained to be sensitive else we shall have more suicides like the recent one in Patiala.

As the news came in, the accused were finally arrested and three police officers sacked. But it was too little too late. The mere first-information report (FIR) had been registered 14 days after the rape.

The suicide note names the rapists and also accuses cops of repeatedly calling her to the police station and asking "uncomfortable" questions.

There needs to be a change in attitude from all including our judiciary, police, politicians and the ordinary citizens if rape laws are to be effective. No more blaming the victim and finding excuses for the rapists. As for punishment, I hope the six will be hanged very soon. Maybe the next one can be given 100 lashes daily for n number of days since killing is too quick. I don’t recommend killing, instead let them feel the pain and then left in jail for a longer period of time without any bail.

A nation's shame

If I ever wanted to join in a protest, it was the one that happened yesterday. Nothing would have stopped me but alas I am far away from it all and the only space that I can vent my feelings is on this blog.

The whole world shared the angst of Indians yesterday. But is anything going to change? Yes the rapists have been arrested and the law will take its course so why protest is the question many are asking? Because history just repeats! We have low rape convictions and even if convicted while the rapists may get a few years the victim is hounded for the rest of her life.

The conviction rate in rape and molestation cases in India is a dismal 27 per cent. Long drawn trials and pressure on the families of victims are some of the major reasons for this. Police norms and behaviour are a deterrent to many rape victims who do not lodge any complaint against the crime at all, say experts.

The stigma surrounding rape needs to change. We as a society feels that the life of the girls ends with rape. The first emotion that comes to our mind is that of defeat. The more emotional kills the victim even if she was his beloved daughter and we call it as saving the "honor" of the family! 

Even our movies have reflected this time and over. After a rape, the director either kills the victim or lets her commit suicide. It is seldom that we see the victim fight it out and come victorious. Late Padmarajan, the acclaimed Malayalam movie director did try to work around this in his movie "Nammuku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal" where the heroine after being raped by her step father is married by the hero. I can also remember a Hindi movie which dealt with the same subjemmct. Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai There must be others too. But in each one of these movies, the director has made sure that the victim shall never be blamed for rape! In real life this rarely happens. As soon as a rape is done we look for excuses. We wonder how she was dressed, where she was at that time and with whom. And mostly why at that time of the day! Even the Delhi CM had this same question. We also wonder if she was a sexually active individual. Everything about the victim is thoroughly examined but we seldom worry about the rapists. For the society he is just another male being excused for his libido. Yesterday I heard a lady doctor say that rapists are people with psychological problems and that they are not normal. How sweet! Are even the school bully’s psychological cases who only shuts up when another bully mightier than him appears on the scene? So is the case with most rapists. They are just bullies who grew up without being reprimanded when they should have. Maybe it is time these bullies are recognized. It is time they are confined to their houses specially at night since they have no business outside. Instead don't ask the women folks to confine themselves at home.

There was a season in Malayalam movies where a rape scene was a must. We had famous rapists; Janardhanan, T.G. Ravi, Jose Prakash and many more. The rape scenes were taken in such a way that the male audience enjoyed every bit of it! Rape was done mostly as revenge.

But why should the life of a girl be over after a rape? If she was involved in an accident and suffered the same injury why your views are different? Yes, we as a society need to change our views on rape.

And have you seen how the crowd jeers and jostles when a rape victim appears in court? I am sure many of those who were protesting yesterday would appear with a different mindset if the poor girl is brought to the court. Why? Oh! Why?

The girl is fighting for her life and if she succeeds she will be taking baby steps once again. It will not be easy to regain the trust that she lost on this world. On top of that our society will not make it easy for her. Let there be fast track courts but can we have a virtual one where the victim is not required to appear physically? Aren’t we a nation selling IT to the world but can’t implement the same for our own needs? Or let all these women organizations make it a point to appear along with such victims while protecting the victim from further humiliation. Will they do it?

As for our police; reforms need to be done urgently. They should no longer be at the beck and call of our politician when many of them have got away with violence against women.

Highlights of the report

• 6 MLAs have declared that they have charges of rape against themselves in their sworn affidavits submitted with the Election Commission of India at the time of their election.
• Of these 6 MLAs with declared rape cases, 3 are from SP namely Sribhagwan Sharma, Anoop Sanda and Manoj Kumar Paras from Uttar Pradesh, 1 from BSP namely Mohd. Aleem Khan from Uttar Pradesh, 1 of BJP namely Jethabhai G.Ahir from Gujarat and 1 of TDP namely Kandikunta Venkata Prasad from Andhra Pradesh.
• 36 other MLAs have declared that they have other charges of crimes against women such as outraging the modesty of a woman, assault, insulting the modesty of a woman etc.
• Of the 36 MLAs who have declared that they have charges of crimes against women, 6 MLAs are from INC , 5 from BJP and 3 from SP.
• U.P. has the maximum number of MLAs (8) who have declared that they have charges of crimes against women, followed by Orissa and West Bengal with 7 MLAs each.
• 2 MPs, namely Semmalai S of ADMK from Salem constituency in Tamil Nadu and Adhikari Suvendu of AITC from Tamluk constituency in West Bengal, have declared that they have charges of crimes against women, such as cruelty and intent to outrage a woman’s modesty etc.

Each party has one or two “heroes” who have got away with crime. With such people guarding our interests will any good come out?

There has not been any reform since our constitution was formed and when I believe that only an independent police force shall work, many fear the same. Why should it not work when it works in many developed/democratic countries?

India's police are governed by archaic and colonial police laws harking back to 1861. Under the Indian Constitution, policing is a state power, which means that state governments have the responsibility to provide their communities with a police service (the national government has the responsibility for policing in union territories). Most state governments have a police law that adopts or reflects the basic ideas of the 1861 legislation.

Our Supreme Court has issued directives but not a single state has yet implemented it.

The Court's directives seek to achieve two main objectives: functional autonomy for the police - through security of tenure, streamlined appointment and transfer processes, and the creation of a "buffer body" between the police and the government - and enhanced police accountability, both for organisational performance and individual misconduct. 

But before all this happens, we as a society can do much more.

Maybe the policeman can take his family out at night? Watch a movie and use the bus?

Maybe the youngsters can take their girl friends in a group and travel on these buses? 

Maybe we shall approach the policeman when we are eve teased? Since it is these who get more bold and commit crimes like rape.

Maybe our policemen will be more sensitive and so also our judges?

Maybe.. maybe more older women shall start wearing jeans! Ah…… 

Edited to add:

How the Indian system, society works against rape survivors

A traumatic event like this scars and haunts you through life. And you need tremendous courage to stand up and face the world. For that you need sustained and professional support and counselling, both of which the child did not get.

Source:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/21/india-men-sexual-violence-elections

Why this fixation?

Yet another discussion in Twitter made me realize that the media fixes our focus on certain issues, states etc. It all started with the BBC article on Haryana and "Why rural sexual violence remains rife in India"http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20003610 … The reasons for the same has been blogged, discussed fought over upteen times by many. The following are some of the reasons that we have been hearing and is reported by BBC.

"I'll tell you the main reason for these rapes," explains Suresh Koth, one of the elders.
"Just look at what's in the newspapers, on television. Topless women. This is what's corrupting our youth. After all this is India, not Europe."

One council elder was reported as saying that girls should be forced to marry young to protect them from rapists. Others routinely blame Western influences.  

But when I tweeted that topless women are elsewhere too but why rape happens mostly in Haryana, I was asked if there is a basis for "rape happens mostly in Haryana".  This made me check into existing reports and the result was scary. Haryana is behind some other states! Please have a look at the following chart:

This means that while the nation focus on Haryana, rapists in other states are getting away. What attracts the media towards Haryana? The Khaps?

Now if you are wondering like my friend if MP has more rapes due to to it's high population then why not Punjab (479)  and Chhatisgarh (1053) which is similar in population to Haryana (733) ?  

When it comes to major cities Delhi (453) is a hopeless case and Mumbai (221) comes second in the incidence of rape.

And if less women are reporting to the police in Haryana, the media should be picking up even less. So are the women in MP least bothered when they are raped? Or is the local and national media hesitant to print it? If so why? 

Ahmedbad in Gujarat, Asansol in WB, Dhanbad & Jamshedpur  in Jhakarnd, also Bangalore in Karnataka were the  best cities for women and children during year 2009 since no rape was reported. Unfortunately it has changed drastically. I have added the 2009 figures later.

But why is our media fixated on Haryana?  To shame someone? The government in power? But whatever, it is good if authorities compared such data to see why rapes occur in some states/cities and not in others. What are the factors that aid the rapists? The media did report in general about but when it comes to individual incidence the readers as well as the media seem to prefer Haryana. Until I looked at this report I was under the impression that there is no state worse than Haryana. Also I was under the impression that Bombay is a women friendly city but although it is not as bad as Delhi, it still comes second. 

As for Kerala, it is worse. It has also become number one for overall crimes. But I do wonder if it because crimes are reported without any fear in Kerala unlike some other states.

The original reports can be downloaded from this site and the following is a copy of the discussed matter.

Incidence of Rape in Year 2009 - State Wise

Incidence of Rape in Major Cities - Year 2009