Kerala is seething over what happened to a popular actor and with women's safety becoming a prime concern, the Governor of the state, P Sathasivam, announced that Kerala would begin a registry for sex offenders.
In his address marking the beginning of the Budget session of the Assembly, the Governor announced that the list of sex offenders is arguably the first of its kind in the country. He said that the reason for taking such measures is to ensure the safety of women.
The Governor said that the increasing immunity of sex offenders due to lack of social deterrence was a growing concern all over the country.
“To ensure deterrence, my government will set up a sex offenders' registry which will maintain all identifiecation details of sex offenders. It will be the first in the country and will be kept in the public domain," he said.
The step that Kerala has announced now is something that has been repeatedly demanded by Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi. Even in January 2017, the Minister had reiterated the need for a national registry of sex offenders.
Governor's address
The Governor asserted that his government shall ensure that women of the state are given utmost protection.
“All necessary measures shall be taken to uphold safety and security to their lives. Let me assure this house that my government shall not pardon any action from anyone that is calculated to be an affront to women,” the Governor said.
“My government has already heralded a new policy and created history by deciding to create a separate department for women which is in the final stage of operationalism. Taking such exemplary policies to the next level, my goverment will set up all women police stations at the taluk levels. My govevrnment has already started the first women battalion this year and is committed to increase women’s share in the force to 15% and believe it should be 50%. Homes under Nirbhaya cell will be mordernised and upgraded,” the Governor said.
He also promised that the government will set up a comprehensive victim relief fund to provide interim relief for victims of sexual crimes, both for children and women.
Governor P Sathasivam, in his address, also said that a special department for women's safety will be formed.