A sharp increase in crimes against women during COVID-19 pandemic

An RTI query has revealed rapes, women trafficking and sexual assault against minors increase in last 1.5 years compared to 2019

An RTI inquiry shows a surge in crimes against women like rapes, women trafficking and sexual assault against minors. In spite of a series of lockdowns due to Covid-19 pandemic and residents being confined to their homes the city of Nagpur saw a spurt in crimes against women in last 1.5 years of the pandemic as compared to 2019 has been recorded.

Rape of women witnessed the sharpest rise with 172 cases reported in 2020 as compared to 136 in 2019. Till August this year, 149 cases had been lodged at various police stations across the city. Similarly, sexual assault cases against children which are registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, witnessed a jump as per the response given by the Crime Branch’s public relation officer BN Nalawade to RTI queries by senior activist Abhay Kolarkar. In 2019, 200 POCSO cases were registered which increased to 238 in 2020, while till August 2021, 142 cases have been registered across city police stations.

On the other hand, women trafficking cases almost doubled in comparison to last year 2019 from 18 to 33 in 2020. This year so far only 10 cases have been registered. Nalawade further informed that kidnapping and molestation cases saw a marginal decline in comparison to 2019. In 2020, 246 kidnapping and 323 molestation cases were registered as compared to 404 and 339 in 2019. This year till August, 239 kidnapping and 229 molestation cases were recorded.

In 2020, the deaths of women due to dowry demands by the in-laws recorded a slight increase. Last year eight deaths were registered in compared to five in 2019. However, no a single case of dowry death till August this year. Harassment from in-laws witnessed a decrease last year from 136 in 2019 to 118 in 2020. While 103 such cases have been registered this year.

In all the three years not a single case of offence under forceful abortion of pregnancy has been registered. Nalawade further added that no case of public humiliation of women registered in 2019 and only four cases so recorded each from last and this year. And only one case of acid attack against women registered in all three years.