On Crimes Against Women – A persistent social crisis

Source: This post on Crimes Against Women has been created based on the article “A persistent social crisis” published in “Business Standard” on 7^th December 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Social Justice – Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of vulnerable sections.

News: The article discusses the latest findings in the NCRB Report regarding crimes against women. It also highlights their implications.

What are the latest findings in the NCRB Report regarding crimes against women?

1. Increase year-on-year: The NCRB report records a 4% rise in crimes against women in 2022 over the previous year. The cases reported translate to about 51 FIRs every hour.
2. Crimes against women at home: The problems begin at the Indian home, with cruelty by a husband or his relatives being the leading cause in 31.4% cases.
   It points to the urgent need to tighten anti-dowry laws. It also reflects a chauvinistic societal view of women as commodities.
3. Assault and rape: These account for almost 26% of crimes against women.
4. Higher Crime Rates in Industrialised States: Highest crime rates against women are in states that are relatively industrialised, such as Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Delhi records the highest rate of crime against women, far higher than the national average.

The crime statistics are probably a significant underestimate, reflecting only crimes that are reported.

Why are women reluctant to come forward to report crimes against themselves?

1. Social harassment: Women often fear social stigma, victim-blaming, or being judged for coming forward about a crime.
2. Personal danger: Reporting a crime might put women at risk of retaliation from the perpetrator or from others associated with the perpetrator.
3. Indifference of the police and justice system: If victims perceive or have experienced previous instances of authorities not taking their complaints seriously, being dismissive, or not providing adequate support or protection, they might hesitate to report future incidents.

What are the implications of prevailing attitudes and crimes against women?

Dissuades women from entering the workforce: Crimes against women is a factor influencing India’s chronically low female workforce participation rates.

Chauvinistic attitude of men in the family (as reflected in the crimes against women at home): This means that men-folk are unlikely to encourage women in their families to seek financial or social independence in jobs or careers.

Societal attitudes leading to more crimes against women: The societal preferences against the girl child have skewed the gender ratio so drastically in parts of the country that kidnapping and abduction – mostly to seek wives – comes at third place in the ranking of crimes against women.

Thus, the NCRB data shows India remains unsafe for women, which requires urgent intervention.

Question for practice:

Crimes against women have been rising in recent years, harming India’s image globally as an unsafe place for women. Elaborate the reasons behind this phenomenon.