Need consent to touch a woman: HC
No one can touch a woman without her consent, a Delhi court has said and termed it unfortunate that women continue to be victimised by "lecherous and sexually-pervert" men.
The court's observation came while awarding a 5-year jail term to Chavi Ram for inappropriately touching a nine-year-old girl inappropriately in a crowded market in north Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar in 2014.
While awarding rigorous imprisonment to the Uttar Pradesh resident, the court said a woman's body is her own and it is she who has an exclusive right over it and all others are prohibited to touch her body, without her consent, for any purpose whatsoever.
The court also said that right to privacy of women does not seem to be recognised by men and they do not think twice before making untoward advances or satisfying their lust by sexually assaulting helpless girls.
"Such perverts get a sexual kick by assaulting the women and they are oblivious to the rights of privacy of the female gender, including a female child," the court said.
"In a free, fast progressing, technically-strong country like India, it is an unfortunate scenario that the female citizens, be it an adult or a small child, continue to be consistently victimised by lecherous and sexually pervert male
folk, found in abundance in public places, especially crowded markets, public transports like buses and Metros and recreation joints like movie halls and theatres," the court said.
According to the complaint, on September 25, 2014, the girl was with her mother in the market when the accused inappropriately touched the child and tried to molest her. The minor immediately informed her mother and pointed to Ram after which he started running from the spot. He was caught by the mother with the help of passers-by.
The man claimed he was falsely implicated in the case as the market was crowded and it was a case of misunderstanding. He further claimed that the real offender ran away after committing the crime.
The court, however, rejected Ram's claim and said it was clear that he was with a sexual intent, taking advantage of a crowded marketplace, wilfully touching the girl and thereafter trying to run away.