A protest after the gang-rape of medical student in Delhi last December

Analysing the figures given by the Delhi Police on the number of crimes against women, the Supreme Court today said that women across the country have suffered silently."Crime against women has become quite common, particularly during the last five years. They have been suffering silently and only a few cases are coming up. Unfortunately, some memories are bad. 15 years ago in Madhya Pradesh a student protested against some rowdy elements of a rich family but she was crushed under a jeep. Every day in trains and bus girls are subjected to molestation. They are protesting now because people have become more enlightened," the court said.These observations came during the hearing of a petition filed by workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the police excess in a clash at Northeast Delhi in June this year.

In repose to Supreme Court's query on the number of crimes against women in Delhi, the police submitted a list which said up to October, there are reports of 1330 rape cases, 2844 molestations and 793 eve-teasing. The list also said that nearly 3000 women have been kidnapped, 2487 have been subjected to cruelty by husbands and 123 women have been killed over dowry.