DHNS
BANGALORE : The judiciary, especially judges handling cases related to sexual abuse against women, must have basic training in psychiatry and mental illness to handle the sensitivity of the subject, said the Indian Psychiatric Society president Prof Indira Sharma.


At the 65th annual national conference of Indian Psychiatric Society which began here on Thursday, Prof Sharma said, “It is unfortunate to hear cases about sexual abuse of women with mental illness. There is a need to relook into the judicial aspect of handling such cases,” she added.


Prof Sharma said there was no standard mental health policy in place and made out a case for having one. Referring to the recent Delhi gang-rape incident, she said there is a need to frame elaborate guidelines on handling rape victims and recommended that the amended anti-rape law be called the Jwala Act.


Prof Norman Sartorius, former director, Mental Health, World Health Organisation, Geneva, said due to rapid urbanisation and globalisation, the number of people suffering from mental illnesses has increased over the years. “It is unfortunate to hear that today’s world which measures everything in terms of economics has also tagged health as a commodity wherein you pay more, you get more even in terms of cure for illness,” he added.


Briefing about the recommendations sent to Justice Verma committee on amending laws against sexual abuse, Dr R Raghuram, Head, Department of Psychiatry, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, said rape victims should be counselled regularly in tandem with the legal process.


The four-day conference will witness a host of lectures by psychiatrists from across the world and will be attended by over 3,000 delegates including psychiatrists and clinical psychologists.