With 3,260 cases in 2023, Bengaluru reported nearly a 23.9 per cent increase in crimes against women, as compared to 2022, and a whopping 61 per cent increase compared to 2021, according to CCRB data.
Molestation and dowry cases were the major contributors with 1,135 and 1,007 cases, respectively. On the brighter side, the city police were able to crack close to 95.7 per cent of these cases, with 100 per cent detection in rape cases.
Women’s rights activists said the rapid growth of the city and an increase in aggression among people were the main reasons for the increase.
“Though there are government initiatives to prevent violence against women, it is just on paper,” said Kajol Singh, project coordinator with Aweksha, a charitable women’s trust.
She said there were so many hurdles in the administrative process that filing an FIR was an uphill task for women.
Echoing the opinion, Brinda Adige, a women’s rights activist, said the police many times fail to file an FIR.
“When a woman goes to a police station with a domestic violence complaint, cops turn counsellors and give suggestions, instead of filing an FIR. This has brought down the fear among people and many of them now have no hesitation to indulge in domestic violence,” she said.
With 631 cases, the number of crimes against children also increased by 12.4 per cent, compared to 2022 and 31 per cent, compared to 2021. While the majority of them were POCSO cases (538), 40 cases were registered under Juvenile Justice Act.
Published 03 January 2024, 22:11 IST