Refreshingly Radical changes

[Guest guest]

Dear All

The Tamil Nadu police have changed their ways, and seem to understand the need

to be women-friendly albeit as a " victim " .

The Hindu dated 29th June 2005.

Refreshingly Radical Policing blowing the whistle the pro-victim way

Police are now empowered to use the GoondasEAct against pimps and middlemen.

R. Ilangovan

SALEM: In what is being described as a refreshingly radicalEapproach in

tackling the problems of prostitution and trafficking, the Tamil Nadu police

have decided to tighten their noose on pimps, middlemen, brothel runners and

traffickers, instead of techanically rounding up the women.E

This far-reaching move worked out by the think-tankEof the State police

administration, is also meant to bolster the image of the force among women and

their groups and turn the focus on the middlemenE A Senior police official told

The Hindu that the personnel in Anti-Trafficking Cell and Anti-Vice Squad have

been instructed on the need for adopting this pro-victimEapproach seriously. We

will go after pimps and middlemen who exploit these women for commercial gains,

mostly against their willE said the officer. The police are now empowered to

use the GoondasEAct against these unscrupulous elementsE And while raiding

brothel houses, if minor girls are found to be victims, section 376 of Indian

Penal Code (IPC) for charges of rape will be registered against the customers,

pimps, organizers and traffickers. Clear instructions on not to harass the women

unnecessarilyEhave also been issued.

This perceptible change is the result of a soul-searching analysis of the

performance of the police, particularly with reference to the implementation of

the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, (ITPA), 1986.

Women activists hope that this approach will ensure a responsive police in the

area where the rights of women and children are blatantly violated. It will

prevent the re-victimisationEof the victims [women and children in

prostitution] and stop them from being treated as criminals, says A.

Renganathan, a social activist who counsels commercial sex workers here. Tamil

Nadu has given its go-ahead for the sweeping amendments to the ITP Act, which

lays stress on the stringent punishment for those who are using the victims of

trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Regards

R. Meera

E-mail rmeera102@...>