The National Crime Records Bureau publishes an annual report entitled “Crime in India”. The report for 2015 provides us with the latest status update of crime records in tune with the above provisions on women-related violence.

A total of 327,394 cases of crime against women have been reported in 2015. The present statistics show a 3.1% decline from 2014.

After a long spell of 4 years (2011-2014) when the crime cases were continuously increasing, the sudden decline in overall crime cases reported makes one wonder whether things have really improved – or is it that there have been fewer cases of reporting this year?

A total of 157,249 cases under violence against women in India has been reported as pending for investigation by the end of the year 2015 while 1,080,144 cases have remained pending for trial by the end of the year.

The highest conviction rate has been reported under the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act (49%) followed by the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (47.8%) while the lowest conviction rate has been reported under Abetment to suicide and Cruelty by Husband and his Relatives.

Women, mostly face violence in the private sphere (e.g. domestic violence, marital rape), within their families and at the hands of intimate partners or relatives of their partners. And we say that she is safe at home!