Upcoming seminar: Sexual Assault, Mass Crimes And Justice - A Gendered Perspective (Bombay, 12 January 2012)

Sexual Assault, Mass Crimes And Justice: A Gendered Perspective


2 - 6pm, Saturday 12 January 2012,

Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh, Fort, Mumbai

Forum Against Oppression of Women (FAOW) and Women’s Research & Action Group (WRAG) are pleased to invite you to a seminar on “Sexual Assault, Mass Crimes and Justice: A Gendered Perspective.”

As we approach the twentieth anniversary of the communal violence that shook Mumbai consequent to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992, it is important to remember our own history and examine the multifarious ways in which it has changed our city, as well as our perspectives. In particular, there is a pressing need to shed light on the experience of women during the carnage, and other instances of large scale violence that have marred the recent history of the country.

The sexual assault and death of a young girl in Delhi has sparked a justified and much needed public outrage and protests. The sexual assault that women around the country experience day-in and day-out, the social conditioning to condone and tolerate such acts forms the basis for targeting of women for sexual assault in the context of mass violence and conflicts, with impacts that is exacerbated manifold.

The seminar on ‘Sexual Assault, Mass Crimes and Justice: A Gendered Perspective’ will examine the unique forms of victimization to which women are subject during the commission of mass atrocities, and to examine the various roles they play during and in response to the outbreak of such violence. The panel discussion aims to revisit the 92/93 violence and examine the experience from a gendered lens. In addition, it would also discuss and deliberate upon the use of sexual and gender-based violence in contexts of anti-Sikh attacks 1984 and Kandhamal violence in Odisha 2007 and 2008. The climate of impunity for mass crimes and the failure of justice in all three situations is the overall context of the discussion.

This seminar is organized as part of the as part of the month-long remembrance of the December 1992-January 1993 riots that shook the city. We look forward to your participation in the discussion.



SCHEDULE

Time


Theme


Speaker
14:00

Registration


14:30


Introduction


Chayanika Shah

14:40
Bombay after riots: impact on women survivor and state response

Hasina Khan

15:00
Bombay riots: Assessing long term impact on / consequences for women

Meena Menon

15:20


“Some Narratives from Kandhamal – Told, Retold and Untold”


Saumya Uma

15:40


Cr. law amendments to address sexual assault – the experience of 1984


Vrinda Grover

16:00


Summing up and key points


Chayanika Shah

16.10


Discussion, Questions and Comments