Delhi leads in crimes against women, Rajasthan in rape cases in 2022: NCRB data

New Delhi: The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) released its annual report for 2022, revealing a distressing 4% uptick in crimes against women compared to the previous year, with a total of 4,45,256 cases registered.

Released on December 3, alongside election results in four states, the report brought attention to an alarming surge in offences targeting children, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and cybercrimes.

According to the NCRB report, Delhi remains the most unsafe city for women in India, accounting for 1,204 reported rape cases in 2022. These cases constituted 31.20% of the total crimes against women reported in the country, indicating a disproportionate concentration of crimes in the national capital.

Throughout 2022, the city witnessed an alarming daily average of three reported rape cases, highlighting the enduring vulnerability experienced by women.

The NCRB data spotlighted 48,755 reported cases across 19 metropolitan cities, with Delhi contributing the highest number at 14,158 cases. Mumbai followed with 6,176 reported cases, indicating a substantial concern.

The majority of reported crimes against women fall under various categories:

• Cruel acts by husbands or relatives accounted for 31.4% of cases, underlining the troubling prevalence of domestic abuse.
• Kidnapping and abduction of women constituted 19.2% of cases, highlighting concerns about women's security in public spaces.
• Assault with the intent of outraging modesty made up 18.7% of cases, indicating the prevalence of offences targeting women's dignity.
• Rape cases accounted for 7.1% of reported crimes, emphasising the persistence of this heinous crime.

The NCRB data further revealed Uttar Pradesh as the state with the highest reported cases of crimes against women, standing at 65,743, followed closely by Maharashtra with 45,331 cases and Rajasthan with 45,058 cases.

The report recorded a staggering 31,516 rape cases in 2022. Rajasthan reported the highest number with 5,399 cases, Uttar Pradesh (3,690), and Madhya Pradesh (3,029) followed.

A critical concern emerged from Uttar Pradesh recording 62 cases categorised as 'Murder with rape/ gangrape.' This specific classification points to instances where rape is followed by murder, signalling an alarming trend requiring immediate attention and stringent measures.

The NCRB report highlights the pressing requirement for systemic reforms, enhanced law enforcement measures, and community-driven initiatives to ensure the safety of women and address the pervasive culture of violence against women prevalent across India.