The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 2020, report revealed that Uttar Pradesh has topped the list of crimes against women with maximum number of cases at 49,385, followed by West Bengal (36,439), Rajasthan (34,535), Maharashtra (31,954) and Madhya Pradesh (25,640).
The total number of cases registered of crimes against women in 2020 stands at 3,71,503. This figure is lower than 4,05,326 cases registered in the year 2019 and 3,78,236 cases in 2018.
2020 has also recorded 28,046 rape cases across all States and Union Territories. Rajasthan reported the highest number of rape cases (5,310), followed by Uttar Pradesh (2,796), Madhya Pradesh (2,339), and Maharashtra (2,061).
Crimes against women includes cases of rape, dowry deaths, abetment to suicide, acid attack, cruelty by husbands or relatives, kidnapping, trafficking and outraging her modesty. The data shows that majority of cases under crime against women were registered under ‘Cruelty by husband or his relatives’ (30.2 percent), followed by ‘Assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty’ (19.7 percent), ‘Kidnaping and abduction of women’ (19 percent) and then ‘rape’ (7.2 percent).
10,682 cases were filed against husbands/relatives for cruelty in 2020. As many as 6,984 women were assaulted with intent to outrage her modesty and 6,710 cases of kidnapping and abduction were registered last year.
Atrocities against SC/ST communities
456 cases of rape were registered in 2020 under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A total of 50,291 crimes against members belonging to the Scheduled Caste and 8,272 cases against Scheduled Tribes took place last year.
2020 saw a rise in the atrocities against Dalits and Scheduled Tribes. As opposed to over 50,000 cases last year, 2018 had recorded 42,793 cases and 2019 had seen 45,961 cases. With respect to atrocities against ST members, 2020 saw a 9 percent increase with 7,570 cases in 2019 and 8,272 in 2020.
The report also states that there were 613 cases of sexual harassment and 221 cases of stalking of Scheduled Caste women recorded in 2020. In addition to this, there were 336 cases of sexual assault on Dalit children. 195 sexual harassment cases were registered in 2020 against Scheduled Tribe women.
Last year has also recorded 28 cases of social boycott and 172 cases of murder of Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribe members.
Related:
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Uttar Pradesh: Where women live in fear
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