Supreme Court to Frame New Safety Guidelines for Women and Transpersons

The Supreme Court is set to review a plea for pan-India safety guidelines for women, children, and transpersons. Highlighting gaps in current law enforcement and referencing unreported sexual abuse cases, the plea pushes for stronger preventive measures and strict implementation of public behavior policies.

The Supreme Court has taken up a plea for nationwide safety guidelines aimed at protecting women, children, and transpersons. The move, prompted by incidents of unreported sexual violence, could lead to significant changes in public policy and law enforcement practices.

A bench led by Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan has called upon various ministries to address the plea, with proceedings set for January 2025. The justices emphasized the need to evaluate enforcement of punitive laws, raising concerns over public behavior in transportation systems.

Senior advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani revealed a troubling increase in unreported sexual abuse cases. She called for comprehensive guidelines, paralleling Scandinavian models like chemical castration for offenders, and urged restrictions on free online pornography as part of broader protective reforms.

(With inputs from agencies.)