Mumbai: There has been a steep increase in the number of criminal incidents against women. A report released by Praja Foundation on Tuesday revealed that in the span of 5 years (between 2013 and 2018) there has been a huge rise in the rate of crimes against women. It says that an increase of 95 per cent in crimes against women have been observed. In 2015-16, under POCSO Act alone 891 criminal cases were filed.
The foundation stated that in comparison to 2013-14 when 432 cases of rape were registered, in 2017-18 the number rose to 722. The number of molestation cases shot up from 1209 during 2013-14 to 2,358 in 2017-18. Between the two time periods, the number of atrocities of minor children increased by 19 per cent. Most of the time people do not report the crime as 32 per cent of citizens do not believe in police and legal machinery, the report read; out of these, 23 per cent of them refrained to talk to a police officer, while 25 per cent of people did not complain due to their “mental anguish.”
The NGO recommended that gaps in sanctioned and available strengths of the police force should be filled. They also recommended that positions for permanent public prosecutors be filled. Besides training and sensitisation of cops and an awareness campaign on child sexual abuse should take place.
The biggest increase in rape cases was registered in South Mumbai (172%), while molestation cases rose the maximum in North Mumbai (186%) during the five-year period.
Praja Foundation and Hansa Research Institute took surveys in 24,299 households which reported no crime. According to estimates by Praja Foundation, five MLAs from South Mumbai, two MLAs from North Mumbai have asked questions on rape in the conventions of 2017-18.
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