Lok Sabha Question No. 380 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-20
Subject: Crime Against Women
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: E. T. Mohammed Basheer, Gaurav Gogoi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 380

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  JULY, 2021/ ASHADHA 29,1943 (SAKA)

CRIME AGAINST WOMEN

380.  SHRI E.T. MOHAMMED BASHEER: SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there has been an increase in various crimes against women in  the  country which has effected the women's safety during the last few years; and
- (b) if so, the steps taken/proposed to be taken to stop such crime against women in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI AJAY KUMAR MISHRA)

- (a) National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes statistical data on crimes in its publication 'Crime in India'. The published reports  are  available  till  the  year  2019.  Analysis  of  this  data  for  cases registered  under  various  crime  heads  on  crimes  against  women  does  not show any uniform trend.
- (b) 'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  under  the  Seventh Schedule to  the  Constitution  of  India.  The  responsibilities  to  maintain  law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens including investigation and  prosecution of crime against women  rest  with  the respective  State  Governments.  The  State  Governments  are  competent  to deal with such offences under the extant provisions of laws.

## LS.US.Q.NO.380 FOR 20.07.2021

However, Government has taken a number of initiatives for safety of women across the country, which are given below:

- i. The Criminal Law (Amendment), Act 2013 was enacted for effective deterrence  against  sexual  offences.  Further,    the  Criminal  Law (Amendment)  Act,  2018  was    enacted  to  prescribe  even  more stringent penal  provisions including death penalty for rape of girls below  the    age  of  12  years.    The  Act  also  inter-alia  mandates completion    of    investigation    and  filing  of  charge  sheet  in  rape cases  in  2  months  and  trials  to  also  be  completed  in  2  months (Section 173 CrPC).
- ii. Emergency  Response  Support  System  provides  a  pan-India,  single internationally recognized number (112) based system for all emergencies,  with  computer  aided  dispatch  of  field   resources to the location of distress.
- iii. The    Ministry    of  Home  Affairs  (MHA)  has  launched  a  cyber-crime reporting  portal  on  20 th   September,  2018  for  citizens  to  report obscene content.
- iv. Using    technology    to    aid      smart    policing      and    safety management,  Safe   City  Projects   have   been   sanctioned   in first      Phase    in      8    cities      (Ahmedabad,      Bengaluru,    Chennai, Delhi,  Hyderabad,  Kolkata,  Lucknow  & Mumbai).

## LS.US.Q.NO.380 FOR 20.07.2021

The projects have been prepared by State Governments, taking into account the need for identification of hot spots for crimes against women for development of critical assets in various areas including in infrastructure, technology adoption and capacity building community through awareness programmers.

- v. MHA  has  launched  the  'National  Database  on  Sexual  Offenders' (NDSO)  on 20 th September,  2018  to facilitate investigation and tracking of sexual offenders across the country.
- vi. MHA  has  launched  an  online  analytic  tool  'Investigation  Tracking System  for  Sexual  Offences'  to  monitor  and  track  time-bound investigation  in  sexual  assault  cases  in  accordance  with  Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018.
- vii. In order to improve investigation, MHA  has taken steps to strengthen DNA analysis units in Central and State Forensic Science Laboratories.    This  includes  setting  up  of  State-of-the-Art  DNA Analysis  Unit  in  Central  Forensic  Science Laboratory, Chandigarh. MHA  has also  sanctioned setting-up and upgrading of DNA Analysis units in State Forensic Science Laboratories in 20 States/UTs.
- viii. MHA      has    notified      guidelines      for    collection    of    forensic evidence    in    sexual      assault      cases    and    the    standard composition   in   a  sexual   assault   evidence   collection   kit.

## LS.US.Q.NO.380 FOR 20.07.2021

To  facilitate  adequate  capacity  in  manpower,  training  and  skill building programs have been undertaken for Investigation Officers, Prosecution Officers and Medical Officers. Bureau of Police Research  &  Development  has  distributed  14,950  Sexual  Assault Evidence Collection Kits to States/ UTs as orientation kit as part of training.

- ix. MHA  has  also  approved  two  projects   for   setting   up   and strengthening  of  Women  HelpDesks in  police  stations  and  AntiHumanTrafficking  Units  in  all districts of the country.
- x. In addition to the above-mentioned measures, MHA has been issuing advisories  from  time  to  time  to  States/UTs  to  deal  with  crimes against women, which are available at www.mha.gov.in.

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