CHAPTER-5

CRIME AGAINST WOMEN

Reported Incidents of crime

(Incidence…1,55,553)
Although Women may be victims of
any of the general crimes such as ‘Murder’, A total of 1,55,553 incidents of crime
‘Robbery’, ‘Cheating’, etc, only the crimes against women (both under IPC and SLL) were
which are directed specifically against Women reported in the country during 2005 as
are characterised as ‘Crimes Against Women’. compared to 1,54,333 during 2004 recording
Various new legislations have been brought marginal increase of 0.8% only during 2005.
and amendments have been made in existing As compared to 2001, these crimes had
laws with a view to handle these crimes reported decline during 2002 and 2003 with
effectively. These are broadly classified under 1,43,034 and 1,40,601 cases followed by an
two categories. increase during 2004 and 2005. Andhra
Pradesh, accounting for nearly 7.2 per cent of
(1) The Crimes under the Indian Penal the country’s population, has accounted for
Code (IPC) 13.4% of total incidents of crime against
women in the country by reporting 20,819
(i) Rape (Sec. 376 IPC) cases. Uttar Pradesh, with nearly 16.4% share
(ii) Kidnapping & Abduction for different of country’s population has accounted for
purposes (Sec. 363 - 373 IPC) 9.6% of total crime against women by
(iii) Homicide for Dowry, Dowry Deaths reporting 14,875 cases during the year.
or their attempts (Sec. 302/304-B IPC)
(iv) Torture - both mental and physical Crime Rate
(Sec. 498-A IPC) (Crime rate… 14.1)
(v) Molestation (Sec. 354 IPC)
(vi) Sexual Harassment* (Sec. 509 IPC) The rate of crime has decreased
(vii) Importation of girls (upto 21 years of marginally from 14.2 during the year 2004 to
age) (Sec. 366-B IPC) 14.1 during 2005. Delhi and Andhra Pradesh
(* referred in the past as ‘Eve-Teasing') were top two States in the order of crime rate
at 27.6 and 26.1 respectively.
(2) The Crimes under the Special &
Local Laws (SLL) Trend Analysis

Although all laws are not gender The crime head-wise details of
specific, the provisions of law affecting women reported crimes during 2001 to 2004 alongwith
significantly have been reviewed periodically percentage variation are presented in Table-
and amendments carried out to keep pace with 5(A). The crime against women has increased
the emerging requirements. The gender by 0.8 per cent over 2004 and increased by 8.2
specific laws for which crime statistics are per cent over 2001. The IPC component of
recorded throughout the country are - crimes against women has accounted for 92 per
(i) Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, cent of total crimes and the rest 8 per cent
1956 were SLL crimes against women.
(ii) Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
(iii) The Child Marriage Restraint
(Amendment) Act, 1979
(iv) Indecent Representation of Women
(Prohibition) Act, 1986
(v) Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act,
1987

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 Table-5(A)

Crime Head-wise Incidents of Crime Against Women during 2001-2005 and Percentage variation
in 2005 over 2004
Crime Head Year Percentage
variation in
Sl.No.
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2005 over
2004
1. Rape (Sec. 376 IPC) 16075 16373 15847 18233 18359 0.7
2. Kidnapping & Abduction (Sec. 363 to 373 IPC) 14645 14506 13296 15578 15750 1.1
3. Dowry Death (Sec. 302/304B IPC) 6851 6822 6208 7026 6787 -3.4
4. Torture (Sec. 498A IPC) 49170 49237 50703 58121 58319 0.3
5. Molestation (Sec. 354 IPC) 34124 33943 32939 34567 34175 -1.1
6. Sexual Harassment (Sec. 509 IPC) 9746 10155 12325 10001 9984 -0.2
7. Importation of Girls (Sec. 366-B IPC) 114 76 46 89 149 67.4
8. Sati Prevention Act, 1987 0 0 0 0 1 100.0
9. Immoral Traffic (P) Act, 1956 8796 6598 5510 5748 5908 2.8
10. Indecent Rep. of Women (P) Act, 1986 1052 2508 1043 1378 2917 111.7
11. Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 3222 2816 2684 3592 3204 -10.8

Total 143795 143034 140601 154333 155553 0.8

Table-5(B)
Proportion of Crime Against Women (IPC) towards total IPC crimes
Total IPC Crime Against women (IPC Percentage to total IPC
Sl.No Year
Crimes cases) crimes
1 2001 17,69,308 1,30,725 7.4
2 2002 17,80,330 1,31,112 7.4
3 2003 17,16,120 1,31,364 7.6
4 2004 18,32,015 1,43,615 7.8
5 2005 18,22,602 1,43,523 7.9
However, Tripura has reported the highest
The proportion of IPC crimes crime rate 4.8 as compared to National
committed against women towards total IPC average of 1.7.
crimes has increased continually during last 5
years from 7.4 per cent in 2001 to 7.9 per cent Rape cases have been further
during 2005. categorised as Incest Rape and other Rape
cases.
Crime head-wise analysis (IPC)
Incest Rape
Rape (Sec. 376 IPC) (Incidence…750)
(Incidence…18,359 Rate…1.7)
As compared to 0.7 percent increase
Rape cases have reported mixed trends in overall Rape cases, Incest cases have
over last 5 years with an increase of 1.8 per substantially increased by 48.5 per cent from
cent in 2002 over 2001, a decrease of 3.2 per 505 cases in 2004 to 750 cases in 2005.
cent in the year 2003 over 2002, substantial Madhya Pradesh (141) has accounted for the
increase of 15.0 per cent in 2004 over 2003 highest 18.8 per cent of the total such cases
followed by marginal increase of only 0.7 reported in the country.
percent in 2005 over 2004. Madhya Pradesh
has reported the highest number of Rape cases
(2,921) accounting for 15.9% of total such
cases reported in the country.

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Rape Victims The highest rate at 12.9 was reported from
Tripura as compared to the National rate at
Out of 18,359 reported Rape cases in 5.3.
the country, there were 18,376 victims of
Rape. Of the total victims of Rape, 9.4% Molestation (Sec. 354 IPC)
(1,731) were girls under the 15 years of age, (Incidence…34,175 Rate…3.1)
while 12.7% (2,344) were teenaged girls (15-
18 years). Nearly two-third (10809) (58.8%) Incidents of Molestation in the country
were Women in the age-group 18-30 years. have declined by 1.1 per cent over the previous
3,381 victims (18.4%) were in the age-group year (34,567). 18.8% of total such cases were
of 30-50 years while only 0.6 per cent (111) reported from Madhya Pradesh (6,426) which
were over 50 years of age. The details are also has the highest rate (9.7) as compared to
given in Table-5.3. the National average of 3.1.

Offenders were known to the victims Sexual Harassment (Eve –Teasing)

in as many as 15,869 (86.4%) cases. (Sec. 509 IPC)
Parents/close family members were involved in (Incidence…9,984 Rate…0.9)
4.7% (750 out of 15,869) of these cases,
neighbours were involved in 34.8% cases The number of such cases has declined
(5,521 out of 15,869) and relatives were marginally by 0.2 per cent over the previous
involved in 6.5% (1030 out of 15,869) cases. year (10,001). Uttar Pradesh has reported
The State/UT/City-wise details are presented 28.9 per cent of cases (2,881) followed by
in Table-5.4. Andhra Pradesh 25.1 per cent (2,508). Jammu
& Kashmir has reported the highest crime rate
Kidnapping & Abduction (Sec. 363-373 IPC) 3.3 as compared to the National average of
(Incidence…15,750 Rate…1.4) 0.9.
These cases have reported an increase Importation of Girls (Sec. 366-B IPC)
of 1.1 per cent as compared to previous year (Incidence…149)
(15,578). Uttar Pradesh (2,256) has accounted
for 14.3 per cent of the total cases at the An increase of 67.4% has been
National level. Delhi has reported the highest observed in such cases as 149 cases were
rate at 7.0 as compared to the National average reported during the year 2005 as compared to
of 1.4. 89 cases in the previous year (2004). Bihar
(74) and West Bengal (61) have reported
Dowry Deaths (Sec. 302, 304B IPC) highest number of such cases accounting for
(Incidence…6,787 Rate…0.6) 49.7% and 40.9% respectively of total such
These cases have decreased by 3.4% cases at the National level.
over the previous year (7,020). Out of the
total such cases reported in the country around Crime-head wise analysis (Special Laws)
23.0% cases were reported from Uttar Pradesh
Sati Prevention Act
(1,564) alone followed by Bihar (1,014)
(Incidence…1)
(14.9%). The highest rate of crime (1.1) was
reported from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh as
The practice of Sati is on the wane in
compared to the National average of 0.6 only.
modern times. Only one case was reported
from Rajasthan State during the year 2005.
Torture (Cruelty by Husband & Relatives)
(Sec. 498A IPC) Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act
(Incidence…58,319 Rate…5.3) (Incidence…5,908 Rate…0.5)
‘Torture’ cases in the country have
increased marginally by 0.3 per cent over the Cases under this Act have registered
previous year (58,121). 14.9 per cent of these an increase of 2.8 per cent during the year as
were reported from Andhra Pradesh (8,696). compared to the previous year (5,748). 47.0%

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(2,777) cases were reported from Tamil Nadu cities as compared to 20,492 cases in the year
which also reported the highest crime rate of 2004 reporting an increase of 2.5 per cent.
4.3 as compared to the National average of The rate of crime in cities at 19.5 was
0.5. comparatively higher as compared to the
National rate of 14.1.
Indecent Representation of Women
(Prohibition) Act Among 35 cities, Delhi (3,850) has
(Incidence…2,917 Rate…0.3) accounted for 18.3 per cent of total crimes
followed by Hyderabad (2,057) (9.8%). The
A significant increase of 111.7 per crime rate was significantly higher in
cent was noticed in cases under this Act as Vijayawada and Vishakhapatnam at 60.6 and
compared to previous year (1,378). Andhra 55.2 respectively as compared to national
Pradesh with 2,657 cases has accounted for average of mega cities at 19.5 only.
91.1 per cent of total such cases at the
National level. It has also reported the Delhi city has accounted for 33.2% of
highest crime rate of 3.3 as compared to the Rape cases, 37.4% of Kidnapping &
National average rate of 0.3 only. Abduction cases, 19.1% of Dowry Deaths
and 23.1% of Molestation cases among 35
Dowry Prohibition Act cities. Hyderabad of Andhra Pradesh has
(Incidence…3,204 Rate…0.3) reported nearly 15% of cases of Cruelty by
Husband & Relatives and Eve-teasing cases.
The cases under this Act have declined
by 10.8 per cent as compared to the previous It is worthwhile to mention that
year (3,592). One-fourth (24.6%) cases were Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur have
reported from Bihar (789) followed by Uttar booked more cases under Special Laws &
Pradesh (586) accounting for 18.3% of total Local Acts among the mega cities. 31.1 per
cases at the national level. The highest crime cent (654 out of 2,106) of cases under Immoral
rate was reported from Pondichery at 1.6 as Traffic (P) Act and 68.9 per cent (239 out of
compared to 0.3 at the National level. 347) of Dowry Prohibition Act cases were
booked in Bangalore city alone. Similarly,
Crime against Women in Cities 57.0 per cent (61 out of 370) cases under
(All-India…1,55,553 Cities…20,997) Indecent Representation of Women (P) Act
were booked in Hyderabad City and 36.4% (39
As per population census 2001, 35 out of 107) cases were booked in Jaipur city.
cities having population over 10 lakh (See
Chapter-2) have been identified as Mega
cities. A total of 20,997 cases of crimes
against women were reported from these 35

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