A week after the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre organised a candlelight vigil in memory of the 23-year-old woman that was the victim of a gang rape in New Delhi, India, the organisation is now calling for harsher penalties for people who commit horrendous crimes.
FWCC co-ordinator Shamima Ali said harsher and consistent penalties should be put in place for men who thought they could commit such crimes and get away with it.
"I don't think age should be taken into account when it involves rapists. Men who commit such crimes should be given penalties that will also serve as a warning to those thinking of committing similar crimes," she said.
Ms Ali said in rape cases where a juvenile was involved, these minors should be given a sentence that would deter them from committing similar offences and upon their release from juvenile centres, their sentences should be reviewed.
"When they are released, authorities should relook at their behaviour and if they have not changed their mindset and is still the same, they should get more jail time," she said.
Ms Ali said women and girls should not be blamed and victims of rape should be provided with counselling to help them deal with the trauma they had experienced.