Crime against women on rapid rise in Assam

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, July 12: How safe women are in the state? The answer is quite disturbing, as there is no sign of decline in crime against women in Assam. Instead, the number of cases of crime against women has been steadily increasing over the last 6 years. Hence, from private to the public place and from crowd areas to solitary corners, women are just not secured.

According to a police report, in 2013 there were 4222 cases of kidnapping, 1937 cases of rape, 2409 cases of molestation, 8636 cases of cruelty by husband, 170 cases of dowry death, 1 case of acid attack, 40 cases under dowry prohibition Act, 14 cases of sexual harassment, 2 cases of importation of girls, 1 case under indecent representation of women (P) Act, 1986 and 18 other cases. Hence, in 2013 the total number of crime against women stood at 17,450.

In 2014, there were 3895 cases of kidnapping, 1980 cases of rape, 2641 cases of molestation, 9626 cases of cruelty by husband, 188 cases of dowry death, 1 case of acid attack, 92 cases under dowry prohibition Act, 458 cases of sexual harassment, 1 case of importation of girls and 258 other cases. In 2014, the total number of crime against women was 19,139.

In 2015, there were 5039 cases of kidnapping, 1733 cases of rape, 3794 cases of molestation, 11225 cases of cruelty by husband, 216 cases of dowry death, 1 case of acid attack, 95 cases under dowry prohibition Act, 499 cases of sexual harassment, 657 other cases - the total number of crime against women being 23259 in 2015.

In 2016, there were 5339 cases of kidnapping, 1779 cases of rape, 2701 cases of molestation, 9321 cases of cruelty by husband, 157 cases of dowry death, 6 cases of acid attack, 234 cases under dowry prohibition Act, 677 cases of sexual harassment and 661 other cases.

In 2017, there were 5186 cases of kidnapping, 1708 cases of rape, 3595 cases of molestation, 10580 cases of cruelty by husband, 150 cases of dowry death, 2 cases of acid attack and 307 other cases.

In 2018 up to the month of April, there were 1976 cases of kidnapping, 534 cases of rape, 1229 cases of molestation, 3000 cases of cruelty by husband, 45 cases of dowry death and 147 other cases. From 2013 till April, 2018, the total number of crime against women stood at 1,09,660.

That being the horrifying scenario in the matter of applying the brakes on crime against women by the police, the people in general and the women folks in particular are a worried lot. At the same time it may be pertinent to state that the overall crime graph in the state is soaring at a dreaded pace demolishing all presumed roadblocks.