CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN

Crime or target of a crime against women occurs throughout the life cycle of a women from
prebirth to old age. Even though we’re in the middle of great revolution of women, the crime
rate against women are rapidly increasing. The United Nations defines violence against women
as “Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual,
or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary
deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.”1

The National Crime Records Bureau's(NCRB) 'Crime In India' 2019 report showed
a steep increase in crime against women in India. A total of 4,05,861 cases of crime against
women were registered during 2019,showing an increase of 7.3 percent over 2018. The
majority of cases in IPC were registered under Cruelty by husband or his relatives (30.9%),
Assault on Women with intent to outrage her modesty (21.8%), Kidnapping and Abduction of
Women (17.9%) and Rape (7.9%).2

Female foeticide or Infanticide is one of the indicator of violence against women.

There is an economic or cultural preference for sons. So the pregnancy diagnostic tools can
lead to female foeticide. In 1994 the Government Of India passed the Prenatal Diagnostic
Techniques Act (PNDT) and further amended it in 2004 to deter and punish prenatal sex
screening and female foeticide.
It is estimated that there are 650 million women and girls in the world today who
were married before age of 18.3

Domestic Violence can be described as where one adult in a relationship misuses

power in order to control another. The violence may involve physical abuse, sexual assaults
and threats. Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 says that any person who gives, takes or abets the
giving or taking of dowry shall be punished with imprisonment or with fine or both. To reduce
the growing

incidence of dowry torture and dowry death, a new section was incorporated into IPC in 1983,
that is, section 498A. In 2005, the Protection Of Women From Domestic Violence Act was
passed.
Violent or forceful abortion is a crime. Section 313 deals with abortion without the
consent of the women.

1
www.who.int
2
ncrb.gov.in
3
UNICEF(2019). Child Marriage around the world-Infographic.
 Another violence against women is Female Genital Mutilation. At least 200
million women and girls aged 15-49 have undergone female genital mutilation in the 30
countries with representative data on prevalence.4

Acid Attack is a form of violent assault defined as the act of throwing acid with
the intention to disfigure, torture or kill. Section 326A and Section 326B of Indian Penal
Code, 1860 provide the punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid
and voluntary throwing or attempting to throw acid respectively. Section 100 of the IPC
allows the right of private defence to the extent of causing death if there is acid thrown
or attempt of throwing acid.

Sexual Harassment is intimidation, bullying or any force of a sexual nature or

inappropriate promise or rewards in exchange of sexual favours. It is estimated that 35
percent of women worldwide have experienced either physical or sexual intimate
partner violence or non-partner violence at some point. However some studies shows
that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical violence from an intimate
partner in their life time.5

Rape is known to be the fourth most common crime against the women in India. A
rape victim can file an FIR in the local police station under Section 376, 376A, 376B,
376C, 376D. Approximately 15 million adolescent girls (aged 15 to 17) worldwide have
experienced forced sex at some point of their life.6

Adult women account for nearly 49 percent of Human Trafficking victims detected
globally. Women and girls together account for 72 percent, with girls representing more
than three out of every 4 child trafficking victims.7

Sexual Harassments at Workplace, such as section 354, IPC deals with “assault or
criminal force to a women with the intent to outrage her modesty and Section 509, IPC
deals with “word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a women. In India,

4
UNICEF (2019).What you need to know about female genital mutilation-How the harmful practice affects
millions of girls worldwide.
5
World Health Organization, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine, South African Medical Research Council (2013).
6
UNICEF (2017).A Familiar Face: Violence in the lives of children and
adolescents. 7 UNDOC(2018). Global report on Trafficking in Persons.
 the case of Vishaka Vs State of Rajasthan in 1997 has been credited with establishing
sexual harassments as illegal.7

Constitution imposes a fundamental duty on every citizen through Articles 15(A)(e) to

renounce the practices derogatory to the dignity of women. It’s just because of the
lenient laws that people are not afraid of the crimes against women. If some convicted
may get hard punishment it will create a fear against others too. Harsh punishment for
offenders is not enough to prevent crimes against women. Setting up of response
centres, removing jurisdiction boundaries for Police in registering criminal cases,
spreading awareness about women safety and rights of Women can also prevent up to
an extent.

7
Vishaka and Others Vs State of Rajasthan (AIR 1997 SC 3011)