Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - HT Navi Mumbai Live
Cases of rape, molestation rose last year: Police record
UNSAFE PLACE In 2015, 104 rape cases filed as opposed to 90 in 2014; molestation cases increase by 30%
NAVI MUMBAI: Navi Mumbai is said to be one of safest cities for women in India. However, the statistics of crimes against women recently released by the city police shows a different picture.
While immoral trafficking, abetment of suicide, cruelty has seen a downward swing, sexual crimes against women in the city increased by 25% in the past one year.
In 2015, a total of 104 rape cases were registered as opposed to 90 cases registered in 2014. Barring one, all cases of 2014 were detected by the police.
Molestation cases also increased by 30%. As many as 202 molestation cases were registered last year as against 156 cases registered in 2014. The police solved 195 and 155 cases in 2015 and 2014 respectively.
The police said in a majority of these cases, the suspects were known to the victims. They established physical relationships consensually and later when things soured, the women register a rape or molestation case. “Over 85% rape or molestation cases we registered last year belong to this category. After the law was amended, the police have to register a case whenever a woman comes with a complaint against anyone. Thus, the number of cases has gone up,” said Dilip Sawant, deputy commissioner of police (crime).
He said there are cases which are not reported immediately.
“At times, the victims don’t reveal their plight to their parents because of fear and social stigma. In some cases, parents don’t register a police complaint, fearing difficult times for the victim’s
future. They try to solve it within themselves and hence the culprits go scot free,” he added.
Immoral trafficking of women has decreased by 50%. Only 11 such cases were reported last year as opposed to 22 cases in 2014.
Another worrying factor is that several women were either raped or molested by their relatives or family members in the past year. “Police are often held responsible when crime rates go up. But what can we do when a woman is raped by her own family member inside her house?” said a senior police officer.