CHAPTER-5

CRIME AGAINST WOMEN
Although Women may be victims of any of the general crimes such as ‘Murder’, ‘Robbery’, ‘Cheating’, etc, only the crimes which are directed specifically against Women are characterised as ‘Crimes Against Women’. Various new legislations have been brought and amendments have been made in existing laws with a view to handle these crimes effectively. These are broadly classified under two categories.
(1)

affecting women significantly have been reviewed periodically and amendments carried out to keep pace with the emerging requirements. The gender specific laws for which crime statistics are recorded throughout the country are (i) Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (ii) Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 (iii) Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 (iv) Sati Prevention Act, 1987

The Crimes under the Indian Penal Code (IPC)
Rape (Sec. 376 IPC) Kidnapping & Abduction for specified purposes (Sec. 363 373 IPC) Homicide for Dowry, Dowry Deaths or their attempts (Sec. 302/304-B IPC) Torture - both mental and physical (Sec. 498-A IPC) Molestation (Sec. 354 IPC) Sexual Harassment (Eve Teasing) (Sec. 509 IPC) Importation of girls (upto 21 years of age) (Sec. 366-B IPC)

Reported Incidents of crime
(Incidence…2,28,650) A total of 2,28,650 incidents of crime against women (both under IPC and SLL) were reported in the country during the year 2011 as compared to 2,13,585 incidences in the year 2010 recording an increase of 7.1% during the year 2011. These crimes have continuously increased during 2007 2011 with 1,85,312 cases in the year 2007, 1,95,856 cases in the year 2008, 2,03,804 cases in the year 2009 and 2,13,585 cases in the year 2010 and 2,28,650 cases in the year 2011. West Bengal with 7.5% share of country’s population has accounted for nearly 12.7% of total crime against women by reporting 29,133 cases. Andhra Pradesh, accounting for nearly 7.0% of the country’s population, has accounted for 12.4% of total crimes against women in the country by reporting 28,246 cases in the year 2011.

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv) (v) (vi) (vii)

(2)

The Crimes under the Special & Local Laws (SLL)

Although all laws are not gender specific, the provisions of law 79

INCIDENCE OF CRIME AGAINST WOMEN DURING 2011
(All India 228650)

Crime Rate

(Crime rate… 18.9) The rate of crime has increased marginally from 18.0 in the year 2010 to 18.9 during the year 2011. Tripura has reported the highest rate of crime against women at 37.0 during the year 2011 as compared to 18.9 crime rate at the National level.

presented in Table-5(A). The crime against women during the year 2011 has increased by 7.1% over the year 2010 and by 23.4% over the year 2007. The IPC component of crimes against women has accounted for 95.8% of total crimes and the rest 4.2% were SLL crimes against women. The proportion of IPC crimes committed against women towards total IPC crimes has increased during last 5 years from 8.8% in the year 2007 to 9.4% during the year 2011.

Trend Analysis
The crime head-wise details of reported crimes during the year 2007 to year 2011 along with percentage variation are

Table - 5(A) Crime Head-wise Incidents of Crime Against Women during 2007 - 2011 and Percentage variation in 2011 over 2010
Year Sl. No. Crime Head 2007 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Rape (Sec. 376 IPC) Kidnapping & Abduction(Sec. 363 to 373IPC) Dowry Death (Sec. 302 / 304 IPC) Cruelty By Husband and Relatives
(Sec. 498-A IPC)

2008 21,467 22,939 8,172 81,344 40,413 12,214 67 1 2,659 1,025 5,555 1,95,856

2009 21,397 25,741 8,383 89,546 38,711 11,009 48 0 2,474 845 5,650 2,03,804

2010 22,172 29,795 8,391 94,041 40,613 9,961 36 0 2,499 895 5,182 2,13,585

2011 24,206 35,565 8,618 99,135 42,968 8,570 80 1 2,435 453 6,619 2,28,650

Percentage variation in 2011 over 2010

20,737 20,416 8,093 75,930 38,734 10,950 61 0 3,568 1,200 5,623 1,85,312

9.2 19.4 2.7 5.4 5.8 -14.0 122.2 100.0 -2.6 -49.4 27.7 7.1

Molestation (Sec. 354 IPC) Sexual Harassment (Sec. 509 IPC) Importation of Girls (Sec. 366-B IPC) Sati Prevention Act, 1987 Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 Total

81

RATE OF CRIME AGAINST WOMEN DURING 2011
(All India 18.9)

Note: Rate of Crime against Women means number of crimes against women per one lakh population.

Table - 5(B) Proportion of Crime against Women (IPC) towards total IPC crimes
Sl. No. 1 2 3 4 5 Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Total IPC Crimes 19,89,673 20,93,379 21,21,345 22,24,831 23,25,575 Crime Against women (IPC cases) 1,74,921 1,86,617 2,03,804 2,13,585 2,19,142 Percentage to total IPC crimes 8.8 8.9 9.2 9.6 9.4

Crime (IPC)

head-wise

analysis

Rape (Sec. 376 IPC) (Incidence…24,206 Rate…2.0) An increasing trend in cases of rape has been observed during 2007 – 2008. A mixed trend in the incidence of rape has been observed during the periods 2008 - 2011. These cases have reported an increase of 3.5% in the year 2008 over the year 2007, a decline of 0.3% in the year 2009 over 2008 and an increase of 3.6% in 2010 over 2009 and further an increase of 9.2% in the year 2011 over the year 2010. Madhya Pradesh has reported highest number of Rape cases (3,406) accounting for 14.1% of total such cases reported in the country. Mizoram has reported of crime rate 7.1 as compared to National average of 2.0. Rape cases have been further categorised as Incest Rape and other Rape cases. Incest Rape (Incidence…267) Incest rape cases have decreased by 7.3% from 288 cases in 2010 to 267 cases in 2011 as compared to 9.2% increase in 83

overall Rape cases. Maharashtra (44 cases) has accounted for the highest (15.3%) of the total such cases reported in the country. (See Table 5.3) Rape Victims There were 24,270 victims of Rape out of 24,206 reported Rape cases in the country. 10.6% (2,582) of the total victims of Rape were girls under 14 years of age, while 19.0% (4,646 victims) were teenaged girls (14-18 years). 54.7% (13,264 victims) were women in the age-group 18-30 years. However, 15.0% (3,637 victims) victims were in the age-group of 30-50 years while 0.6% (141 victims) was over 50 years of age. The details are given in Table-5.3. Offenders were known to the victims in as many as in 22,549 (94.2%) cases. Parents / close family members were involved in 1.2% (267 out of 22,549 cases) of these cases, neighbours were involved in 34.7% cases (7,835 out of 22,549 cases) and relatives were involved in 6.9% (1,560 out of 22,549 cases) cases. The State / UT / City-wise details are presented in Table-5.4.

Kidnapping & Abduction (Sec. 363-373 IPC) (Incidence…35,565 Rate…2.9) These cases have reported an increase of 19.4% during the year as compared to previous year (29,795 cases). Uttar Pradesh with 7,525 cases has accounted for 21.2% of the total cases at the National level. Delhi UT has reported the highest crime rate at 12.4 as compared to the National average of 2.9. Dowry Deaths (Sec. 302, 304B IPC) (Incidence…8,618 Rate…0.7) The cases of Dowry Deaths have increased by 2.7% during the year 2011 over the previous year (8,391 cases). 26.9% of the total such cases reported in the country were reported from Uttar Pradesh (2,322 cases) alone followed by Bihar (1,413 cases) (16.4%). The highest rate of crime (1.4) was reported from Bihar as compared to the National average of 0.7. Torture (Cruelty by Husband & Relatives) (Sec. 498-A IPC) (Incidence…99,135 Rate…8.2) ‘Torture’ cases in the country have increased by 5.4% over the previous year (94,041 cases). 19.9% of these were reported from West Bengal (19,772 cases). The highest crime rate of 21.6 was also reported from West Bengal as compared to the National rate at 8.2.

Molestation (Sec. 354 IPC) (Incidence…42,968 Rate…3.6) Incidents of Molestation in the country have increased by 5.8% over the previous year (40,613 cases). Madhya Pradesh has reported the highest incidence (6,665) amounting to 15.5% of total such incidences. Kerala has reported the highest crime rate (11.2) as compared to the National average of 3.6.

Sexual Harassment (Sec. 509 IPC) (Incidence…8,570 Rate…0.7) The number of such cases has decreased by 14.0% during the year over the previous year (9,961 cases). Andhra Pradesh has reported 42.7% (3,658 cases) followed by Maharashtra 12.5% (1,071 cases) of total incidences during the year 2011. Andhra Pradesh has reported the highest crime rate (4.3) as compared to the National average of 0.7.

Importation of Girls (Sec. 366-B IPC) (Incidence…80) An increase of 122.2% has been observed in Crime Head as 80 cases were reported during the year 2011 as compared to 36 cases in the previous year (2010). Madhya Pradesh (45 cases), Bihar (10 cases) and Karnataka (12 cases) have together contributed more than two-third of total such cases at the National level.

84

Crime Against Women Percent Distribution during 2011
Cruelty by Husband and Relatives 43.4% Others 0.2% Dowry Prohibition Act 2.9%

FIGURE 5.1

Molestation 18.8%

Immoral Traffic (P) Act 1.1% Dowry Death 3.8% Sexual Harassment 3.7% Kidnapping & Abduction 15.6%

Rape 10.6%

Incidence & Rate of Crime Against Women Percentage Change from 2001

FIGURE 5.2

70.0

59.0

60.0

50.0

48.5 41.7 36.2 28.9 28.6 34.9 14.6 7.3 -2.2
2003 2004

40.0

Percentage

30.0

20.0

21.3 16.5

24.5

10.0

8.2 1.5 0.7
2005

5.1

-0.5

0.0 2001

-2.82002 -6.0

2006 Year

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

-10.0

Incidence

Rate

Crime-head wise analysis (Special Laws)
Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (Incidence…2,435 Rate…0.2) Cases under this Act have registered a decrease of 2.6% during the year as compared to the previous year (2,499). 20.4% (497) cases were reported from Andhra Pradesh followed by Tamil Nadu 17.2% (420 cases).Daman & Diu

reported the highest crime rate of 2.5 as compared to the National average of 0.2.

Sati Prevention Act,1987 (Incidence…1) One case was registered under this Crime Head in Jammu & Kashmir during the year 2011.

Crime Head wise Incidence of Crime Against Women during 2007-2011
250000

FIGURE 5.3

200000

150000
Incidence

100000

50000

0 2007 2008

Year 2009

2010

2011

Rape Cruelty by husband and relatives Importation of Girls Indecent Rep. of Women (P) Act

Kidnapping & Abduction Molestation Sati Prevention Act Dowry Prohibition Act

Dowry Death Sexual Harassment Immoral Traffic (P) Act

87

Indecent Representation Women (Prohibition) Act (Incidence…453 Rate…Negligence)

of

A decrease of 49.4% was noticed in this crime head during the year 2011 as compared to the previous year (895 cases). Andhra Pradesh with 314 cases has accounted for 69.3% of total such cases at the National level which has also reported the highest crime rate of 0.4. Dowry Prohibition Act (Incidence…6,619 Rate…0.5) The cases under this Act have increased by 27.7% during the year 2011 as compared to the previous year (5,182 cases). 28.7% of cases were reported from Andhra Pradesh (1,899) followed by Karnataka (1210 cases) accounting for 18.3% of total cases at the National level. The highest crime rate of 2.5 was reported from Odisha as compared to 0.5 at the National level.

comparatively higher as compared to the National rate of 18.9. Among 53 cities, Delhi (4,489 cases) has accounted for 13.3% of total such crimes followed by Bengaluru (1,890 cases)(5.6%), Hyderabad (1,860 cases) (5.5%) and Vijayawada (1,797 cases) (5.3%). The crime rate was significantly higher in Vijayawada, Kota, Kollam, Jaipur and Asansol at 120.5, 57.5, 54.2, 48.6, and 48.2 respectively as compared to average of mega cities at 21.0. Delhi city has accounted for 17.6% of Rape cases, 31.8% of Kidnapping & Abduction cases, 14.0% of Dowry Deaths and 10.1% of Molestation cases among 53 cities. Hyderabad has reported 12.2% (1,390 cases) of incidences of Cruelty by Husband and Relatives. Vijayawada has reported 18.0% incidence of Eve-teasing. Indore and Jabalpur having 3 cases and 2 cases respectively, have altogether contributed 83.3% of total cases of ‘Importation of Girls’ at all India level. It is worthwhile to mention that Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Patna have booked more cases under Special & Local Laws among the mega cities. 15.5% (191 out of 1,234) of cases under Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and 10.1% (553 out of 5501) of cases under Molestation was reported in Mumbai alone. Similarly, 56.0% (42) and 34.7%(26) of 75 cases of Indecent Representation of Women Act was reported in Jaipur and Jodhpur respectively. 70.7% (605) cases under Dowry Prohibition Act during the year 2011 was registered in Bengaluru city alone. 88

Crime Cities

against

Women

in

(All-India…2,28,650 Cities…33,789) 53 cities having population over 10 lakh (See Chapter-2) have been identified as Mega cities as per population census 2011. A total of 33,789 cases of crimes against women were reported from these 53 cities during the year 2011 as compared to 24,335 cases(35 mega cities) in the year 2010. The rate of crime in cities at 21.0 was