An unsafe city for women

KOCHI: It seems that the high-decibel campaigns to bring down atrocities  against women have not yielded results as there was a double-fold increase in crimes against women in Kochi. A total of 1,036 cases of crime against women have been reported during the last year in Kochi. The number was 663 in 2017. 

According to the city police’s crime statistics, of the total rape cases registered, women were victims in 84 incidents, compared to 85 and 62 in 2017 and 2016 respectively.

Besides rape, other crimes against women, including molestation, kidnapping, dowry death and cruelty by husbands/relatives, also showed an upward trend last year. As per the figures, 256 molestation cases were reported against 253 in 2017 and 162 in 2016. Nine kidnapping cases were registered in 2018 while the number of eve-teasing cases was 67 against 51 in 2017. One dowry death case and 76 cases of cruelty by husbands or relatives were also reported last year. A three-fold increase was witnessed in other offences. As many as  543 cases were registered in 2018 against 156 in 2017.

According to the police officers, the number of cases showed an upward trend as they intensified the enforcement activities.

"A total of 110 Nirbhaya volunteers are deployed in the city as part of Nirbhaya programme intended to curtail the exploitation and other crimes against women and children. Their service helped police in detecting many crimes against women. This may be a reason for the rise in the number of cases", said an officer.