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Rising crimes against Indian women

Women comprises 50 present of the total population of our country, still women security has been major cocern for us.

Recent data relased by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), again confirmed this fact

Data released by NCRB, for past five years in terms of charts reveals this fact.

The data reveals a consistent year-on-year increase, with the exception of 2020—the year when the Covid-19 pandemic hit India, leading to a strict lockdown that shut down the country for months. Experts note that this also affected data collection.

In 2021, the most recent year for which the government has released crime data, India recorded the highest number of crimes against women to date.

Activists view the rising trend as a serious concern, while authorities argue that the increase is due to improved reporting and more people coming forward to file cases with the police.

We analyzed National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reports from the past six years to break down the data on crimes against women, which we present in five charts.

The rising graph

• Out of the six million crimes recorded by the police in India between January 1 and December 31 of last year, 428,278 cases involved crimes against women. This represents a 26.35% increase over six years, up from 338,954 cases in 2016.
• The majority of the cases in 2021 were related to kidnapping and abduction, rape, domestic violence, dowry deaths, and assaults. Additionally, 107 women were attacked with acid, 1,580 women were trafficked, 15 girls were sold, and 2,668 women were victims of cybercrimes.
• With over 56,000 cases, Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state with 240 million people, once again topped the list.

The rape capital

• Last year, the police recorded 31,878 rapes—a significant increase from the previous year’s 28,153 cases. However, this number reflects an 18% decrease compared to the 39,068 rapes reported in 2016.
• Despite the tens of thousands of rape cases reported annually, India has been labeled as “the rape capital of the world.” This label is not because India is an outlier; many other countries report similar or even higher numbers of rapes.

Kidnappings and abductions

• Domestic violence is primarily recorded under the legal category of “cruelty by husband or his relatives,” and it remains the most frequently reported violent crime against women in India.
• In 2021, the police received complaints from 137,956 women—equating to roughly one every four minutes. This represents a 27% increase from 2016 when 110,434 women sought police assistance.

Victims of cruelty by husband or relatives

• Over 40% of women and 38% of men in a recent government survey expressed that it was acceptable for a man to beat his wife if she disrespected her in-laws, neglected her home or children, went out without informing him, refused sex, or didn’t cook properly.
• A recent World Bank study found that dowry was paid in 95% of marriages in rural India. Campaigners highlight that new brides are frequently harassed for not bringing in enough dowry, and thousands are killed by their husbands and in-laws each year as a result.

Dowry deaths in 2021 as compared to previous years

• In 1983, India enacted a stringent law, Section 498A, to combat dowry deaths, yet thousands of brides are still murdered annually.
• Last year, police recorded 6,795 dowry deaths—equating to one every 77 minutes on average. While this marks a 10.92% improvement from 2016, when 7,628 dowry deaths were registered, the issue remains severe.

Violence

The United Nations defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.” Violence against women is not just a social issue; it also encompasses economic, developmental, legal, educational, human rights, and health (both physical and mental) concerns.

Causes

• Gender Disparity: This is a deeply rooted cause of violence against women, putting them at risk of various forms of abuse. Patriarchy is often identified as the primary driver of violence against women. When women attain a higher economic status than their husbands and are perceived as capable of challenging traditional gender roles, the risk of violence increases.
• Judiciary and Law Enforcement: An insensitive, inefficient, corrupt, and unaccountable judicial system and law enforcement machinery often fail to prevent and address various forms of crimes.
• Socio cultural Factors: Persistent stereotypes surrounding gender roles have endured through generations, often disadvantaging women.
• Traditional and cultural practices for example Female genital mutilation, Killing in the name of family honour and Early marriages.

Consequences

• Health Issue: Violence in any form negatively impacts not only the physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health of women but also undermines their self-esteem, ability to work, and decision-making regarding fertility.
• Violence against women can have significant economic repercussions, affecting both the household and the nation.
• Violence also impedes women’s participation in development and planning programs at both micro and macro levels.
• Any form of violence against women obstructs their ability to fully realize their fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, 21, and 32 of the Indian Constitution.

Crime against women is a major concern, solution of which is very important for holistic and inclusive development of India. It is crucial to enact and enforce legislation, as well as develop and implement policies that promote gender equality by eliminating discrimination against women in areas such as marriage, divorce, custody, inheritance laws, and asset ownership.

The End of the Blog: Rising crimes against Indian women