Crimes against women: India
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Conviction rate
Maharashtra among worst 10 in conviction rates
Atul Thakur, TNN | Aug 24, 2013
MUMBAI: The conviction rate for crimes against women in India is depressingly low, but Maharashtra's record is even more abysmal than the national average. In cases of rape, for instance, Maharashtra's conviction rate of 16.1% is about two-thirds of the 24.2% that the country averages.
For rape
The conviction rate for rape among the bigger states ranges between 10% and 16% for Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal while it is lower than 10% in Jammu & Kashmir. All other major states fare better than Maharashtra.
Several studies, in India and abroad have revealed that a majority of sex criminals are repeat offenders . A 2010 news report mentions a study by Swarnchetan, an NGO dealing with rape cases, which showed that nearly 70% of rape accused inmates in jails were repeat offenders. That is a telling statistic on just what the cost of a low conviction rate can be.
By type of crime
A look at data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows that Maharashtra ranks among the 10 worst states in terms of conviction rates for most offences against women. These include insulting the modesty of woman, dowry deaths and cruelty by husbands or their relatives.
Barely one in every 11 person, chargesheeted for assault on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty gets convicted in Maharashtra . The national average is almost one in four. Among the bigger states, only Gujarat , Karnataka and Jammu & Kashmir have a poorer record on this count.
In cases of insult to the modesty of a woman, nearly 95% of those accused walk free after trial in Maharashtra . Again, only Assam, Bihar and Karnataka among the major states fare worse. The all-India average conviction rate under this offence is 36.9%.
When it comes to offences under IPC section 498A, which deals with cruelty by a husband or his relatives, not even one in every 50 accused gets convicted in Maharashtra . This is just a little over one-tenth the national average of 15%. Maharashtra's 16.9% conviction rate for dowry deaths is also close to half the national average of 32.3%.
Of course, this is not to suggest that the rest of the country is doing a wonderful job of punishing those accused of crimes against women. The national average of conviction rates for IPC crimes against women is just 21.3%, which means almost four out of five accused walk free. It is also much lower than the 38.5% overall conviction rate for all IPC crimes.
The Justice Verma Committee, constituted to recommend amendments in criminal law to speed up trails in cases dealing with sexual offences against woman, also noted the abysmally low conviction rates for crimes committed against woman. The report observed that even today the victimized woman, rather than the rapist, is put to trial.
Conviction rate vis-a-vis the party ruling the state
No party has made it safer for women
Subodh Varma | TIG
over the past years there’s been growing protest at spiralling violence against women. All registered crimes against women went up by 70% between 2001 and 2012, rape increasing by 55%, assault with intent ‘to outrage modesty’ rising 32%, dowry deaths by 20% and cruelty by husbands and relatives by 117%. This is the tip of the iceberg because a very large number of crimes against women go unreported.
But what’s the record of political parties in curbing crime against women?
At the states’ level, the picture is revealing and puts paid to the tall claims made in manifestoes. In BJP- ruled Gujarat, MP and Chhattisgarh conviction rates for rape are lower than the national average which is already very low. In Gujarat, conviction rate dips to just 15%. In assault with intent to rape cases MP and Chhattisgarh do better than the national average but in Gujarat conviction rate is 2%. In cruelty by husband cases too, Gujarat has a 4% conviction rate compared to 15% at the national level and 56% in MP. Clearly, the BJP-ruled states are not doing much to punish the guilty. BJP has been ruling these states for over a decade.
In Congres-ruled states things are slightly better. Taking three of them as examples, conviction rates are worse than the national averages in Assam and Maharashtra. In Haryana they’re about the same for rape and assault, although much lower for cruelty. In these states Congres has been ruling for a decade or more.
Surprisingly UP has better conviction rates than most big states. They are two to three times the national rate. Apart from UP, other states ruled by non-Congres, non-BJP parties show trends similar to BJP or Congres-ruled states. TN has low conviction rates for rape but in the other two crimes it performs better.
Conviction rate vis-a-vis the party ruling the state
No party has made it safer for women
Subodh Varma | TIG
over the past years there’s been growing protest at spiralling violence against women. All registered crimes against women went up by 70% between 2001 and 2012, rape increasing by 55%, assault with intent ‘to outrage modesty’ rising 32%, dowry deaths by 20% and cruelty by husbands and relatives by 117%. This is the tip of the iceberg because a very large number of crimes against women go unreported.
But what’s the record of political parties in curbing crime against women?
At the states’ level, the picture is revealing and puts paid to the tall claims made in manifestoes. In BJP- ruled Gujarat, MP and Chhattisgarh conviction rates for rape are lower than the national average which is already very low. In Gujarat, conviction rate dips to just 15%. In assault with intent to rape cases MP and Chhattisgarh do better than the national average but in Gujarat conviction rate is 2%. In cruelty by husband cases too, Gujarat has a 4% conviction rate compared to 15% at the national level and 56% in MP. Clearly, the BJP-ruled states are not doing much to punish the guilty. BJP has been ruling these states for over a decade.
In Congres-ruled states things are slightly better. Taking three of them as examples, conviction rates are worse than the national averages in Assam and Maharashtra. In Haryana they’re about the same for rape and assault, although much lower for cruelty. In these states Congres has been ruling for a decade or more.
Surprisingly UP has better conviction rates than most big states. They are two to three times the national rate. Apart from UP, other states ruled by non-Congres, non-BJP parties show trends similar to BJP or Congres-ruled states. TN has low conviction rates for rape but in the other two crimes it performs better.
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.
Kidnapping of women
In 2012: 2,160 kidnap cases of girls registered
According to the NCRB figures for 2012, Delhi’s share of all crimes committed in the country was 2.83%. Among states and UTs, Bengal leads the pack with a share of 12.67%.
As many as 2,160 kidnapping cases in which women or minor girls were the victims, were registered last year in Delhi. There were 134 dowry deaths and 1,985 cases of cruelty to women by husbands or relatives.
Seeking to downplay the numbers, Delhi Police said statistics did not reveal the actual picture. Senior cops said gave a number of reasons for the rise in crime in Delhi over the past decade. They said rapid growth in the city’s population, socio-economic imbalances and urban anonymity were encouraging deviant behaviour. They said the city’s adverse sex ratio (866/1000) and loosening of social structures were also playing a part in rise of crime.
Among the new initiatives for controlling crimes, the cops said 255 city routes had been identified as being the most frequented by women late in the evening. More than 400 women sub-inspectors and 2,088 women constables were being deployed on these stretches.
Earlier, a document submitted by a Delhi ministry in the assembly had criticized a few rape victims themselves for inadvertently contributing to the low conviction rate in such cases. “Victims sometimes do not support prosecution during trial. At other times, there are compromises made between both parties,” the ministry stated.
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
