Patna: Women's organisations on Saturday questioned the government's disconnect in dealing with alleged sexual abuse cases in shelter homes in the state that they called a blot on Bihar's global image.
"The government should work on a policy for social integration and rehabilitation of women living in the 110 shelter homes in Bihar instead of forcibly keeping them in state-sponsored facilities for longer periods of time, at the hands of proprietors who exploit them for personal and political ambitions. The threat of being subjected to sexual violence looms large on them as long they have to live in questionable circumstances," said Patna High Court advocate Shama Sinha.
Sushila Sahay, the president of Bihar Mahila Samaj, said: "The sexual abuse of girls at Balika Grih in Muzaffarpur and the Aasra shelter home in Patna will remain in people's memory for years and it will be a big blot on Bihar's global image."
She was speaking at a Jansamvaad programme against the sexual abuse of women in shelter homes that her association had organised on Saturday.
"The government is clueless about the need of the hour - ensuring security for all women in general and inclusion of women from shelter homes in mainstream society," she said. "We do support the government's move of bringing shelter homes run by NGOs under its direct control, but the government should also take long-term measures such as formulating a policy to empower these women so that they do not have to live longer in such state-sponsored facilities."
She also echoed Shama's idea to empower and socially integrate the women. "The longer they have to live in shelter homes, greater is the possibility of sexual violence against them. Empowering them on fast-track basis by imparting skills and education will enable them to earn their livelihoods. It might also lead to faster social integration," added Sushma.
Representatives of Bihar Women Network, Bharatiya Mahila Sanskritik Sangathan, Jan Jagaran Shakti Sangathan and Bihar Muslim Mahila Samaj addressed the event. Convener Nivedita Jha said: "We demand that all the 110 shelter homes be investigated to protect the women living there from being subjected to further sexual violence and exploitation."
Meena Tiwari, the general secretary All India Progressive Women's Association, emphasised on a proper investigation rather than speedy investigation. She said the "big fishes" would be caught only after a detailed probe was conducted into all the shelter homes in Bihar.
"We need to end the need of shelter homes; whether in the hands of the state government or operated by NGOs," she added.
Several of the women's association representatives urged for "the chief minister to resign as he has turned a blind eye to the involvement of ministers and the conduct of NGO proprietors such as Brajesh Thakur, who ran Balika Grih, and Manisha Dayal, the treasurer of Aasra shelter home in Patna".
