Did Over 13 Lakh Crimes Against Women Occur Between 2021-23, with UP at the Forefront?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Total crimes against women: 1,321,745 from 2021-2023
- Top state for reported cases: Uttar Pradesh with 188,207
- Major crime categories: Cruelty, kidnapping, and rape
- Children's crimes: 489,188 cases reported
- Child marriage cases: Increased to 6,038 in 2023
New Delhi, Dec 3 (NationPress) The nation experienced 1,321,745 incidents involving crimes against women from 2021 to 2023. Yearly breakdowns show 428,278 cases in 2021, 445,256 cases in 2022, and 448,211 cases in 2023. Uttar Pradesh emerged as the state with the most significant number of reported cases, tallying 188,207 cases, as disclosed by the Union government in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Following Uttar Pradesh, the states of Rajasthan (131,246), Maharashtra (131,958), Madhya Pradesh (95,780), and West Bengal (105,313) recorded substantial figures of reported cases during these years, highlighting ongoing challenges in addressing gender-based violence.
In a formal response to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar indicated that the statistics were sourced from the National Crime Records Bureau's annual report, the most recent being for 2023.
The data revealed that significant categories of crimes from 2021-2023 included incidents of cruelty by husbands or relatives (409,929), kidnapping and abduction (249,284), rape (92,863), and assaults intended to outrage modesty (256,435), which collectively contribute to the national crime burden.
Furthermore, cases filed under Special and Local Laws, such as the Dowry Prohibition Act and the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, increased over this three-year period.
In terms of incidents involving children, the nation recorded 489,188 cases during the same timeframe.
Madhya Pradesh led in 2023 with 22,393 cases, closely followed by Maharashtra with 22,390 cases. Uttar Pradesh reported 18,852 cases, while Rajasthan and Bihar had 10,577 and 9,906 cases respectively. West Bengal and Odisha also showed significant statistics.
Overall, Madhya Pradesh accumulated 61,981 cases in the 2021-2023 period, followed by Maharashtra with 60,413 cases and Uttar Pradesh with 54,372 cases.
A considerable portion of child-related cases involved kidnapping and abduction, along with offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Notably, there was a dramatic rise in cases under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act in 2023, reaching 6,038 cases nationwide, compared to 1,002 cases in 2022 and 1,050 cases in 2021.