The National Commission for Women (NCW) registered 28,811 complaints of crime against women last year and about 55 per cent were from Uttar Pradesh. Women are most vulnerable to crimes; they are victims of many heinous crimes and most prone to crimes.
Earlier these crimes were not reported because of societal honor and pressure, they were silent victims of these crimes their upbringing and the way society wants them to keep silent and they should keep the matter in the house.
According to data from The National Commission for Women, the right to dignity category—which covers harassment other than domestic violence—received the greatest number of complaints, 8,540. 6,274 allegations of domestic violence were filed after this.
805 reports of online harassment, 605 of stalking, 472 of honor crimes, and 409 of sexual harassment were reported. The notable surge in these offences demands a coordinated reaction from law enforcement, communities, and legislators.
Why are women easy targets?
Our societal structure, law enforcement and people mentality are the main and sole reason for these crimes.
Dowry, sexual assault, and domestic violence have been illegal for a long time but the crime rate for the same is not decreasing. These crimes are increasing day by day. This is an alarming call for our society and policymakers.
Our society is patriarchal, and this mindset has not changed yet, women face many challenges for their growth and dignified space in this system. Women never got support against these crimes rather felt shameful for what happened to them. They were held responsible for these crimes because they were told that they created the situation and that men didn’t do anything wrong.
Our legal framework is also not so much friendly for women. We have laws for many crimes but most of the women are not aware of them if some are aware they generally do not go for them because they are not easily available. The legal system is complicated in the Indian system it’s kind of out of reach for common people.
Laws against dowry and domestic violence existed in our constitution for a long time but a large number of women are facing it due to a lack of awareness or a patriarchal mindset.
Cases take years in courts which demotivate them to fight against the crimes, so they generally choose to accept it. Difficulties with Implementation of laws made for their protection Even with robust legislation, there are still difficulties with its efficient application.
How as a society we can fight against these crimes?
To combat this threat, society must come together and promote an environment that provides a safe environment and without judging them and advising them to keep silent, just support them to fight against this.
Strengthening Law Enforcement and Judiciary: Increasing the proportion of women in law enforcement, improving police training, and accelerating court procedures are all important first measures.
To safeguard women against harm, it is essential to address the underlying causes of these occurrences and put preventative measures in place. Campaigns for education and awareness can be extremely important in promoting an equal and respectful society.
But there is a good side of the story also, here thanks to the education and awareness campaigns women are now aware of their rights and they are seeking legal help and registering complaints, now they fight and express their opinions openly.
