New Delhi's Own All-Female Superhero Group
The tide is rising, and women are on top of it. More than just a cartoon figure that fights the bad guys, a group of Superwomen are being deployed to the battlefield in New Delhi, India to defeat the real villain of our time – sexual assault and harassment.
(Image: Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images)
After the order of Delhi’s high court to develop a strategy to tackle crimes against women, an all-female motorbike police unit called ‘Raftaar’, ‘speed’ in English, was launched in May to combat the widespread issue of assault and harassment in the crowded capital.
Kamal Shekhawat, appointed leader of the new unit, stated their goal was to deliver the message that crimes against women were strictly not tolerated.
(Image: Express photo Varinder Chawla)
The dimly lit and narrow alleyways of the city of Jaipur will no longer be a place of fear as the female officers were reported to be equipped with legal and martial arts training while armed with guns, body cameras, pepper spray and stun guns while on patrol. Mounted on hi-tech motorbikes with GPS, they will also be able to navigate easily the lanes and traffic jams, as well as bus stops and parks where most of the incidents happen.
With increased visibility on the streets and a faster response time, their presence will not only discourage would-be rapists but prevent sexual assault entirely.
Already, the all-female police unit has been credited for decreasing levels of assault and harassment. No longer are female assault and harassment victims afraid to report sex crimes against them as they have trustworthy female police officers to boost their confidence. For together, they are a force to be reckoned with – a proof that when women unite, they are much more powerful than even the Avengers and Justice League combined.