India’s bishops urge authorities to protect women’s dignity

January 25, 2013 - In the wake of the national outrage against the Dec. 16 gang rape and subsequent death of a paramedical student, and reports of various types of violence against women and girls, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) has called for "comprehensive laws and effective measures to ensure the security and safety of women." "Instances of sexual violence against women and children have increased (at) an alarming rate, the most shockingly being the sexual gang rape and murder of a young medical student in the capital city of Delhi," the bishops said in a statement dated Jan. 22. This is not an isolated incident, the bishops said, adding that “hundreds of rape cases are being reported everyday across the nation and female feticide, infanticide, molestation, kidnapping, abduction, dowry deaths, trafficking for sex and slavery continue to be perpetrated in several parts of the country.” “This is indeed a very alarming situation.” The statement signed by CBCI Secretary General, Archbishop Albert D’Souza of Agra called on the Union and state governments to address these issues without delay, mindful of the fact that violence against women and children will crumble the pillars of our society and eventually cripple the nation in its march towards peace and prosperity.
Arguing against cries for capital punishment and chemical castration for rapists, the Indian bishops reiterated the Church’s teaching, saying only God has the right to take away human life, and that chemical castration is a dehumanizing act and an assault on the dignity of the human person.