Crime against women in politically significant areas like Delhi and Noida underscores a troubling paradox. Despite being hubs of governance and law-making, and home to a large workforce of women who should feel secure, these regions experience alarmingly high rates of violence and harassment.

Though data available from neighbouring Noida showed that in 2023, the district recorded a 21% reduction in such crimes compared to 2022 and a 24% drop compared to 2021, this crime figure could be just a part of the story. The actual statistics may be on the higher side as many incidents go unreported due to fear of societal backlash, stigma, or a lack of trust in the police and the justice system. Victims often face immense pressure to remain silent, which perpetuates a cycle of violence and impunity, say the women activists.

Delhi despite being the national capital is already considered one of the most unsafe cities for women in India. The city has been at the forefront of several types of crimes against women, including rape, dowry deaths, and insult to the modesty of women.

The national capital recorded 14,158 cases of crimes against women in 2022, as per the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) and a staggering crime rate of 144.4 per lakh of the female population.

Data available from the National Commission of Women (NCW) shows that in 2023, 2,411 complaints were filed. Key issues in Delhi included harassment (8,540 complaints), domestic violence (6,274), dowry harassment (4,797), and rape (1,537).

Gurgaon’s statistics were similarly troubling, with over 1,000 cases registered in 2023, primarily related to domestic violence and kidnapping. As per media reports, on an average, three women file complaints across police stations in the Millennium city every day. Most of these were related to domestic violence (384 FIRs).  At the sametime, 291 kidnapping cases were lodged under IPC sections 366 (abduction of a woman) and 366A (procuration of a minor girl), 180 cases under IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman), and 172 cases under IPC section 376 (rape). Neighboring Haryana also struggles with a high incidence of crimes against women, underscoring the urgent need for effective measures to ensure safety and justice in the NCR.

However, overall State wise, Uttar Pradesh had the most cases in absolute numbers, totaling 65,743, followed by Maharashtra, Rajasthan, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh. Other significant categories of crime against women included kidnapping and abduction (19.2%), assault with intent to outrage modesty (18.7%), and rape (7.1%).

In 2022, India faced a grim reality regarding sexual violence, with 31,516 reported cases of rape affecting 31,982 victims, including 1,017 girls under 18 years old.

Alarmingly, this translates to approximately 90 rapes reported daily. The charge sheeting rate in these cases stood at 75.8%, reflecting the complexities within the legal system. Crimes related to cruelty by husband or relatives accounted for 31.8% of all crimes against women. The overall crime rate per lakh women population was 66.4. Kidnapping and abduction, assault, and rape were other major categories of crimes against women.