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INDIA PENAL CODE - Woman Safety

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Hi friends..

Vina streeya jananam nasti..

Vina streeya Gamanamnasti..

Vina streeya srusti yevanasti..

I'm sure that you all will end this with the quote..

"Even god must be born from mother's woooomb..!". That is the impact created by the dialogue from a very famous telugu film.

Most of the developed countries of the world have witnessed a massive shift in both the attitudes and inherent thoughts about women’s equality and emancipation.

Women in the west are more secure, liberated and aware to fight the oppression or injustice at any given point of time.

However, in developing countries like India, women are still struggling to get equal rights. It is very painful to witness that in 2018 when the world is moving towards an economic and technological revolution, we are still struggling for equal rights. It is depressing to see that the women in India continue to be ill-treated, oppressed and exploited.

The following are some known sections in IPC regarding safety of woman in the country.

  1. Acid Attack (Sections 326A and 326B)
  2. Rape (Sections 375, 376, 376A, 376B, 376C, 376D and 376E 
  3. Attempt to commit rape (Section 376/511)
  4. Kidnapping and abduction for different purposes (Sections 363–373)
  5. Murder, Dowry death, Abetment of Suicide, etc. (Sections 302, 304B and 306)
  6. Cruelty by husband or his relatives (Section 498A)
  7. Importation of girls upto 21 years of age (Section 366B)
  8. Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman (Section 509)

Pocso Act 2012 - Child Sexual Abuse & IPC Section 354 - Outraging modest of Woman is a important section which we all need to know. I will also present you some more important sub-sections in 354 that you must know of, so that the right action is taken, at the right time.

1. Sexual Harassment : 354 A

Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will there by outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than one year but which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to fine.


The credit for specific guidelines on sexual harassment at workplace goes to an NGO, called Vishakha, that took a case of gangrape in Rajasthan to the Supreme Court in 1997.

This NGO had filed a public interest litigation over the alleged gang-rape of Bhanwari Devi, a social worker from Rajasthan. In 1992, she had prevented the marriage of a one-year-old girl, leading to the alleged gang-rape in an act of revenge.

Also, The Sexual Harassment electronic Box (SHe-Box) was launched which is an effort of GoI to provide a single window access to every woman, irrespective of her work status, whether working in organised or unorganised, private or public sector, to facilitate the registration of complaint related to sexual harassment. Any woman facing sexual harassment at workplace can register their complaint through this portal. Once a complaint is submitted to the ‘SHe-Box’, it will be directly sent to the concerned authority having jurisdiction to take action into the matter.

You can have a check this portal once :

2. Stalking : 354 D

After the Nirbhaya Incident in Delhi, stalking was added as an offence as Section 354D of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) under Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013.

Stalking is, unfortunately, not given enough attention in India, because of the casual attitude of the society and women getting uncomfortably used to it. “Getting-used to” stems from the idea of self-preservation or being taught, if not actively, to not retaliate in case of any danger.

Stalking is strictly censured as per the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013. Section 354D enables the State to take legal action against the offender.

Even after the law is in place, why do you think the women are not reporting incidents of stalking?

Most women are either intimidated by the stigma of reporting, or by the casual attitude of police officials, who most of the time dismiss such cases as trivial.

You can visit the website of NCW, if you are being stalked, and if u need immediate assistance, you can also dial 1096 or 0111-23219750.

Note : One sad thing about Indian law is you can only register an FIR in the police station of your own jurisdiction or where the crime has been committed.

But if you are a woman who seeks to file a complaint, you can file a Zero FIR. It came as an after effect of Nirbhaya Rape Case with an intention to initiate the investigation or an action by the police officials without taking the place of crime into account.

Once the FIR is lodged and the filing is done with the magistrate, the case is redirected to the actual police station, i.e., the police station in whose jurisdiction the case belongs.

For example, in the infamous Asaram Bapu Case, although the crime was committed in the district of Jodhpur, the FIR was lodged at Kamla Market Police Station, Delhi.


( Note : The section makes an exception if a person is stalking a woman as part of a legal duty to do so.)

3. No one can upload your pictures/videos without your consent - 354 C ( Voyeurism )

Call it fortunate or unfortunate, but we are living in a world of technology, where the internet has connected thousands of individuals under one umbrella, and cell phones are easily accessible and a mobile camera is in everyone’s pocket.

With the kind of technology available, it is not uncommon to find nude pictures, indecent videos shared through WhatsApp becoming the biggest nightmare of women. You can easily find changing room videos or maybe the most intimate moment between a couple doing rounds on the internet.

Section 67 and 66E of the Information Technology Act (IT Act), deal with punishment for violation of privacy and explicitly forbids capturing, publishing or transmitting the image of a private area of any person without his or her consent.



4. Assaulting women with intent to disrobe: 354B

Any man who assaults or uses criminal force to any woman or abets such act with the intention of disrobing or compelling her to be naked, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than three years but which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.



5. Pocso Act - 2012 

In India, a child is sexually abused every 15 minutes, saddest part is most of the abusers are people known to the victims, like parents, relatives and schoolteachers. 

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 was enacted to provide a robust legal framework for the protection of children from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography, while safeguarding the interest of the child at every stage of the judicial process. The framing of the Act seeks to put children first by making it easy to use by including mechanisms for child-friendly reporting, recording of evidence, investigation and speedy trial of offences through designated Special Courts.

In 2019 this act was ammended which u can go through from :

Pocso Ammendment



Lastly, All you need to do is be bold and go ahead with the complaint. Be assured that the content will be taken down. Rest assured, the law will back you.

In the end, all I can tell you is : I see my mother, sisters, and friends and keep wondering how difficult it might be to be a woman. These challenges can be easily avoided with knowledge, awareness and a little courage.

Knowledge, awareness and a little courage, can go a long way in protecting your rights as a woman.

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻


Harish Sai Manikanta

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