A warning about the growing trend of crimes against women in India, which is causing disturbing consequences.

Safety of women in India is a serious concern, as per the latest figures from National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Crimes against women in 2022 were recorded in 4,45,256 cases – an increase of 4% from 4,28,278 cases reported at the same time in 2021. It is crucial to address gender-based violence as there are on an average 51 first information requests filed every hour.

Nature of Crimes Committed: Cruelty committed by husbands or their family appears the most common form of violence, accounting for 31.4% of cases. The next most common acts are kidnapping and abduction (19.2%), assault with intent to outrage modesty (18.7%), and rape (7.1%). The Dowry Prohibition Act’s continued enforcement of harmful customs was demonstrated by the filing of 13,479 cases.

Geographical Disparities: The crime rate for crimes against women in Delhi was the highest ever recorded, with 144.4 cases per lakh population, exceeding the national average of 66.4. With 65,743 cases, Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of instances, accounting for 15% all crimes against women. Maharashtra (45,331) contributed to 50.2% of cases while Rajasthan ( 45,058), West Bengal (34,738) and Madhya Pradesh (32,765) were responsible for the majority. Besides Delhi, other states with rates significantly above the national average are Haryana (118.7), Telangana (117), Rajasthan (115.1), and Odisha (103).

Understanding the Rising Trend: Multiple factors account for this surge: Patriarchal norms in India are still widely functional, and they often result in violence and control. The highly significant number of cases related to domestic abuse bring forward the disturbing truth.

Women who report violence are often subjected to social stigma and backlash, which frequently discourages them from speaking out. Strong support systems are lacking, which further compounds the problem.

Legal safeguards and inadequate policing: Enforcement is often ineffective. Low conviction rates, fatigued police forces and delays in investigations weaken the system. Even though 75.8% of cases were filed in 2022, the road to justice is still a long and difficult ride.

Media and cultural representations of women often reinforce stereotypes, leading to the normalization of violence as a norm. Education systems have found it hard to challenge these harmful norms. Why?

The economic vulnerability of women makes them more prone to abuse. The provision of education and employment to afford economic independence can provide protection, but many women still face limited opportunities.

Women’s Safeguards in India: The Indian Constitution’s Articles 14, 15, 15(3), 16, 39(a), 39 (b), 38(c), and 42 guarantee equal opportunities for men and women. The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act of 1956, Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961, Commission in Sati (prevention), 1987, Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005, and Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act are significant laws in place.

Government Initiatives: The Nirbhaya Fund contributes to women’ safety initiatives, and police investigations are supported by tools like the Sexual Offence Investigation Tracking System and National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO). Multiple states have implemented the Emergency Response Support System (112), and victims can access integrated support services such as one stop centres or women helpline schemes.

International Conventions & Commitments: In India, the 1979 Convention for Against All Forms of Discrimination is followed by the 1993 Act. The country has also adopted the same. UN Declaration for the Elimination of Violence against Women is in place.

Challenges: There are still implementation challenges, such as the lack of properly trained police officers, prolonged legal delays, and a low representation of women in law enforcement, which is 11.7%.

Rapid justice: Even courts built for speedy resolution face significant backlogs and slow cases are often dismissed.

Way Forward: We need to raise awareness among the public about gender issues and encourage positive masculinity. The provision of education and skill development for women is crucial for their economic empowerment. By enhancing the fast-track court system’s capacity to attract judges and improve infrastructure, case pendency can be reduced. Ultimately, it is important to fight the social stigma in order for women to report crimes and seek justice. The increasing crimes against women are not just a statistic, but also symptomatic of the deep-seated social issues that require immediate and comprehensive response.