Male volunteers take out march in boxer shorts

In its sustained campaign to prevent rapes in the national Capital, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has embarked upon a novel way to register their protest. The male volunteers of the DCW’s ‘Rape Roko’ campaign on Tuesday walked the streets of the national Capital wearing only their boxer shorts to give the message that ‘clothes do not cause rape, sick mentality does’.

It may be noted that the DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal had launched the ‘Rape Roko’ campaign after the brutal rape of an eight-month-old baby in January.

The volunteers marched from Mandi House to Central Park carrying boards and placards — with slogans like “Her clothes are not short, your mentality is” and “What clothes was the eight-month-old baby wearing?” — in a bid to challenge the mentality that tends to shame the survivors.

The protesters expressed anger against the silence of society and Government on rapes and appealed people to join the movement and reach Central Park, Connaught Place at 9.30 am on March 8 to form a peaceful human chain.

They demanded strong action against rapists and completion of trials in case of sexual assault within six months.

Abhishek, a student of Delhi University said, “I am walking half-naked but society allows me to. If a girl walks in a sleeveless top, men letch at her. This is not right.” Another protester, Jatin, had a placard that read ‘I feel safe in these Boxers. How much fabric does she need to feel safe?’ Many girls also attended the rally to extend their support to the cause.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the District Court Bar Associations in Delhi have also extended their support to the campaign. In a letter to DCW chief Swati Maliwal, the IMA had said: “We strongly support the people’s movement ‘Rape Roko’ launched by DCW chief to demand a robust criminal justice system which ensures cases of sexual crimes against women and children are tried by fast-track courts within six months and rapists of children are essentially accorded death penalty as a strong deterrent for others against such crimes”.

The IMA has requested their State and local branches in Delhi to join the movement. The co-ordination committee of all district court bar associations in Delhi have also supported the movement, a senior DCW official said.