Statistics show that an average of four women are being raped and are susceptible to violent crimes daily. Have we given up the will to fight and provide safety for our womenfolk who form about half the population?

Between 1997 and 2004, there were a total of 11,596 reported ( The Malay Mail, Jan 17) cases of women being raped and violently attacked in their own homes. What would the statistics be if every rape was reported?

Yet, we continue to take comfort in the argument that it could be a lot worse. Some even claim that these heinous crimes on our daughters of the land are because of the way women dress. Do those who shoot from their mouths not realise that the innocent and most conservative, hard-working citizens are the ones being raped and murdered? It is not cabarets dancers and nightclub waitresses in suggestive clothes that get waylaid and raped.

It appears that not only are car parks not safe for our women but even a healthy jog in daylight is now a high-risk activity. Not only do thousands of women fear the lurking snatch thieves, they now have to live in the shadows of being raped by perverts and sick men.

Ask any parent and they will tell you without batting an eyelid that their fears for the safety of their children has been on the increase especially for their daughters.

This then calls for a national action plan. It is the duty of elected representatives who have been given the mandate to act to come up with a solution. To argue that these are events beyond us, runs contrary to the fundamental tenets of having a government.

An immediate outcome should be fixing the perennial manpower shortage story that is plaguing our police force. Also, increasing the budget to improve citizens' safety should be a greater priority for our policymakers. This rather than pouring public funds on road-shoulder decorations and paraphernalia.

Let us hope that we can join the ranks of those countries in the world that proudly announce as themselves as being the safest places on planet Earth. But we must act and act fast. The least the authorities can do is to enable our womenfolk to feel reassured of their safety to a dependable level.

Meanwhile, women's organisations, too, must rally together to demand and ensure that constructive action plans are implemented by the authorities. They have a right to their safety.