High time to protest violence against women: Judge Sailaja

​Eluru: Violence against women has been unabated and there is no protection for women even at their homes, said Additional District Judge Sailaja, chairman of District Legal Services Authority, while addressing the meeting organised by Dalit Stree Shakti as part of the international campaign on violence against women at Manya Conference hall.

Judge Sailaja said that the patriarchal society has branded women as weak and it is high time women proved that it was wrong. “Women should strive hard for their rights and they should have the right to self-determination,” she said and added that the women should shatter the silence to achieve that. She said that men should be sensitised regarding the domestic violence.

Geddam Jhansi, national convener of Dalit Stree Shakti, who was the chief guest, said that the women were subjected to two types of violence—societal violence and domestic violence. She deplored that women had become the second grade citizens in the country. “Illiteracy, poverty, unemployment and ignorance are the main reasons for violence against women,” she added.

Exhorting women to be conscious of their rights and become instrumental in bringing change in the family, children and their men, she said that the government should also help women in this direction. Stating that the customs and traditions made women slaves, she recalled that Babasaheb Amebdkar wanted the relations between men and women to be equal and friendly. She said that the parents should bring up their children without discrimination.

Dalit Stree Shakti national programme manager Daniel Prakash who presided over the meeting said that violence against women had been growing by the day and at least 137 women were dying due to violence every day. He recalled that Dalit Stree Shakti had been fighting against the violence on Adivasi women for the last 15 years. He appealed to the government departments to work with dedication to put an end to violence against women.

Vijaya Kumari, project director of Child and Women welfare department, Pydeswara Rao, DSP for Women Cell, Nirola, Sudarsan, leaders of people’s organizations also spoke. Sizable number of women from various regions of the district attended the meeting.Dalit Stree Shakti district coordinator Jyotsna proposed a vote of thanks.