India registers sex offenders

INDIA has set up its first national sex offenders register in a bid to stem crimes against women as it reels from a series of high-profile rape cases.

The database is only accessible by law enforcement

agencies and contains the details of 440,000 criminals, including those convicted of rape, gang rape, child sex crimes and harassment.

Jayshree Bajoria, of Human Rights Watch, said the authorities now needed to do more to support and protect victims of sexual assault.