Crimes against women: India
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= Domestic violence= | = Domestic violence= | ||
Revision as of 16:46, 2 September 2013
This is a collection of newspaper articles selected for the excellence of their content. |
Contents |
Domestic violence
Domestic violence makes up 1/3 of crimes against women
Arun Dev, TNN | May 29, 2013
BANGALORE: Women in Karnataka are as unsafe inside their homes as outside, in the big bad world. In case of Bangalore, though, the situation is marginally better.
Statistics with the Karnataka police show that one-third of the cases of violence against women take place within the confines of their home. The corresponding figure for the state capital is slightly above 25%.
In 2012, of the 10,789 cases of crime against women in Karnataka, 3,688 cases (34%) were reported from within their homes. In Bangalore city, of the 1,993 cases of crime against women, 524 were incidents of domestic abuse, filed specifically under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code - violence by spouse or relatives. Domestic violence is the single largest category in crime against women.
Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the number of cases booked against women. But domestic violence cases, as a percentage of overall crime against women, has not changed much. Of the 7,698 cases of violence against women reported in 2008, 2,638 cases (34%) were of violence by family members.
According to a senior police officer, the official statistics do not give a complete picture of domestic violence in the state, as most such cases go unreported. "In such a situation, we are helpless. We can't force someone to file a police complaint," says the officer.
SOCIETY STILL TRADITIONAL
Society's outlook is still unchanged and doesn't support a woman who goes against her husband and files a case of domestic violence, points out Dr Shaibya Saldanha of the NGO Enfold Trust. "There are many women who are doing well in the corporate sector, but wouldn't report domestic violence fearing social norms," she added.
In the past decade, the criminality of domestic violence has been acknowledged. However, there is no visible reduction in the number of instances of domestic violence. "What we've seen is that many women prefer going to a third party than the police. Considering this number, the magnitude of domestic violence must be big," says Dona Fernandez, founder of Vimochana, The Forum for Women's Rights.
The admission of activists and police that many instances of domestic violence go unreported, flies in the face of those raising a hue and cry about the misuse of the anti-domestic violence law by women seeking vengeance.
Dona agrees there have been incidents of abuse, but they are very few. "There should be a change in perspective. Recently, a judge announced that rape laws were being misused. Almost every law in the country is misused, but remarks are made in the open only about sensitive laws. Even if there is a small number of cases of misuse of the law, we shouldn't forget there are many cases where this law has saved the lives of many women," she adds.
Dowry deaths
Dowry deaths: One woman dies every hour
PTI | Sep 1, 2013
NEW DELHI: One woman dies every hour due to dowry related reasons on an average in the country, which has seen a steady rise in such cases between 2007 and 2011, according to official data.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures state that 8,233 dowry deaths were reported in 2012 from various states. The statistics work out to one death per hour.
The number of deaths under this category of crime against women were 8,618 in 2011 but the overall conviction rate was 35.8 per cent, slightly above the 32 per cent conviction rate recorded in the latest data for 2012.
The number of dowry deaths in the country has seen a steady growth during the period between 2007 and 2011. While in 2007, 8,093 such deaths were reported, the numbers rose to 8,172 and 8,383 in 2008 and 2009 respectively.
In 2010, 8,391 such deaths were reported, according to the NCRB.
The agency is the central nodal department to collect and process crime statistics at the national level.
Suman Nalwa, additional deputy commissioner of Delhi Police (Special Unit for Women and Children), said the problem is not only limited to the lower or middle class.
"Higher socio-economic strata is equally involved in such practices. Even the highly educated class of our society do not say no to dowry. It runs deep into our social system," she said.
The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961, prohibits the request, payment or acceptance of a dowry, "as consideration for the marriage" and dowry here is defined as a gift demanded or given as a pre-condition for a marriage.
"The existing law has certain loopholes and needs to be made stricter. Despite the amendments made to the Dowry Act in 1983, good results are still desired to be achieved," Nalwa said.
However, Kamini Jaiswal, a senior Supreme Court lawyer, says improper investigations by the police at the initial stage of a case slow down the process of judicial proceedings.
"We need quick conviction in such cases. Our judicial procedure has become very slow, police does not record a case at initial stage," she said.
Murder of women
In Mumbai: 2012
Shocker: Over 200% rise in women murders in Mumbai in a year
V Narayan, TNN | Jul 14, 2013
MUMBAI: The latest Mumbai police crime report has thrown up a shocking fact— the number of city women murdered more than tripled from 9 in 2011 to 30 in 2012. It translates into a 233% rise.
The numbers till May 2013 are still more shocking with 17 cases already registered throwing up the scary prospect of a further rise this year. Between 2008 and May 2013, the city recorded murders of 81 women, 66 children and 992 men.
The statewide figures are worse. The latest National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) report says on an average 83 women or girls are killed every month in Maharashtra. The state has the dubious distinction of topping the list of states with most number of women murdered for five consecutive years between 2008 and 2012 with as many as 5,158 cases of female murders.
Crime experts, psychiatrists and investigators said most adult women's murders are over suspected infidelity, extra-marital relationships and failed relationships.
Crime of passion is the commonly observed reason for such violent crime against women. Study of past cases highlighted that the maximum number of women killed fall in the 18-30 age group. The reason is jealousy. While killing of women above 50 years is mainly for property, said Himanshu Roy, joint commissioner of police (crime).
The report said from 2008 to 2012, the major female murders in the state were in the age group of 18-30 with 2,614 cases, followed by 1,541 cases in the 30-50 group, and 450 and 374 cases of those aged above 50 years and up to 10, respectively.
Younger women protest, fight back against injustice and therefore are attacked. Crimes of passion always involve the young as they are involved in such relationship till it gets sour, said psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty. Women of all ages are vulnerable to violence.
With women venturing out more in a number for jobs and for other professional reasons, chances of their falling prey to strained personal relations and emotional setbacks have risen," said S P S Yadav, former Thane police commissioner. Former IPS officer turned lawyer Y P Singh added that an overwhelming number of women killed either by way of murders or abetment to suicides is because of dowry demands of husbands or his relatives. While failed love affair or dispute over extramarital affair is another major reason.
Most murders of women fall in the age group of 18-30 because they may not know how to handle relations, Mamta Sharma, chairperson of the National Commission for Women ( NCW) in New Delhi, told TOI.
In other states: 2012
Maharashtra leads with 5,158 cases, though Andhra Pradesh is ahead in killings of women aged above 50 and Uttar Pradesh tops in the 10-15 and 15-18 age category, the report said.
Crimes against women in 2012
