New Delhi: The National Commission for Women (NCW) received nearly 31,000 complaints of crime against women last year, the highest since 2014. More than half of these cases were from Uttar Pradesh. Crime complaints against women increased by 30 percent in 2021 as compared to 2020, with 23,722 complaints received during that time.
According to official NCW data, out of 30,864 complaints, a maximum of 11,013 were related to the right to live with dignity. This was followed by 6,633 complaints related to domestic violence and 4,589 related to dowry harassment. Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state, recorded the highest number of complaints of crimes against women at 15,828, followed by Delhi at 3,336, Maharashtra at 1,504, Haryana at 1,460 and Bihar at 1,456.
According to the data, the maximum number of complaints related to the right to live with dignity and domestic violence were received from Uttar Pradesh. The number of complaints received by NCW since 2014 was the highest last year. A total of 33,906 complaints were received in 2014. Commission chief Rekha Sharma had earlier said that the increase in complaints was because the commission was making people more aware of their work.
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Sharma said, “Besides, the commission has always worked to launch new initiatives to help women. In line with this, we have started a round the clock helpline number to provide support services to the needy women and to register their complaints.” From July to September 2021, over 3,100 complaints were received every month, with the last time exceeding 3,000 being in November 2018, when India’s ‘MeToo’ movement was at its peak.
According to NCW data, 1,819 complaints have been received regarding offenses of outraging modesty or molestation of women, 1,675 complaints of rape and attempt to rape, 1,537 complaints of police apathy towards women and 858 complaints of cyber crimes.
Akanksha Srivastava, Founder, Akanksha Srivastava Foundation, a non-profit organization working towards providing information on cyber security, said that when complaints increase it is a good thing as it means more women. She has the courage to speak up and now there is a platform for that and she knows where to complain. (agency)