Spurt in number of women reporting gender-based crimes, says Maneka

There has been a gradual increase in the number of women reporting crimes against them, including domestic violence and child marriage, from 2012 to 2014, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

An increasing trend can be seen as in 2012, 2,44,270 cases of gender-based crime were reported, in 2013 there were 3,09,546 cases and in 2014 there were 3,37,922 cases, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said.

Of these, 169, 222, and 280 cases were reported under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 during 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Gandhi said special laws such as the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, have been enacted to help out women.

“The Ministry has made some schematic interventions to address the issue of violence against women such as one stop centre, universalisation of women helpline scheme and ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme,” the minister said.

“The one stop centre was implemented from April 1, 2015 in states/Union Territories with the objective of providing medical and legal aid, police assistance, psychosocial counselling to the affected women,” Gandhi addded.