The National Crime Records Bureau’s latest report shows a slight rise in crimes against women registered across the country. Although the total number of cases for 2023, at 4,48,211, indicates a rise of just 0.7 percent over the previous year, it does not reveal the full picture. The rise may reflect a marginal improvement in registering cases of gender-based violence, which are often underreported, rather than the actual change in crime rate. In that sense, any rise in the reported figures arguably indicates greater willingness for women to come forward and report crimes, even at the cost of social stigma and personal safety.
What must be an area of concern, however, is the manner in which this faith in the system is let down by the paltry conviction rate for crimes against women. Consider, for instance, that 85.7 percent of murder cases were prosecuted with a conviction rate of 37.7 percent. In comparison, 80.3 percent of rape cases met with a conviction rate of only 22.7 percent. Overall, the chargesheeting rate for all crimes against women was 77.6 percent, with a conviction rate of 21.3 percent. While murder with rape/gang rape has a conviction rate of 65.6 percent, the most convictions (66.7 percent) are, ironically, for soliciting.
This context is important given the frequency with which the political class claims tougher legislation, including with the invocation of the death penalty, as a shield for women’s safety. The issue clearly is not one of tougher laws but the need for enforcing the existing laws through proper, scientific and professional investigation and efficient prosecution, which includes appealing against acquittals at the higher courts whenever needed. It cannot also be denied that prosecuting these crimes also involves training out the societal biases embedded among the police, lawyers and the judiciary. At the same time, support and safety for complainants, including in the form of protection and interim monetary relief, must be made available so that survivors or the kin of victims are able to see the cases through. As is often mentioned, stringent punishment is not as much a deterrent of crime as the certainty that it will be meted out.
