Govt to prepare rapists’ database, make it public

AS part of its efforts to prevent crimes against women, the government is moving to compile a 'directory' of people convicted of sexual crimes in Delhi and publicise it through internet and other means.

Minister of State for Home RPN Singh said such a list would help women remain extra careful if they happen to work with or live around such people, besides, hopefully, shaming the convicts from not repeating their mistakes.

"This was one of the suggestions that came up during our discussions with protesters. I thought this was a good idea and we should implement it. We are thinking of creating a database of names, addresses and photographs of people who have been involved in rapes and other sexual crimes in the past. The database should, hopefully, be ready soon," he said.

The National Crime Records Bureau has been asked to compile the database and once prepared, it would be shared with all relevant agencies. The idea is to prevent such people from getting employment in places where they have to interact with women or children. "Such people, for example, can be prohibited from being employed as drivers of school buses," Singh said.

He said the Home Ministry was also considering whether habitual sexual offenders, even if they have not been convicted as yet, can be included in the list. Legal possibilities are being explored to see whether people who have multiple complaints against them or are accused of serious sexual crimes but not yet have been convicted might be included in the directory.

Singh, who was a key player from the government's side in trying to control the protests against the rape of the 23-year-old girl last week, said the Centre would ask all the state governments to create a similar database.

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