Lok Sabha Question No. 356 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-03
Subject: Crime against Women
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Pushpendra Singh Chandel, Sangeeta Azad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 356

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.02.2023

## CRIME AGAINST WOMEN

## 356.     SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL: SHRIMATI SANGEETA AZAD:

Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  special  initiative  to  prevent  the incidents of crime against women and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is aware about the increasing incidents of crimes against women in the country, as is evident from 31,000 complaints of crimes committed  against  women  being  received  by  the  National  Commission  for Women in 2022 which is highest since 2014;
- (c) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (d) whether about 54.5 per cent of the complaints were received from the Uttar Pradesh followed by Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar, Haryana and if so, the concrete steps taken by the Government to control the crimes against women Statewise, especially in the State of Uttar Pradesh?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a)to(d): 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibility to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens including investigation and prosecution in cases of  crime against women and children rests primarily with the respective State Governments. The State Governments are competent to deal with such offences under the extant provisions of laws.

The schemes/ projects implemented by the Government under Nirbhaya Fund include  One  Stop  Centres  (OSCs);  Universalisation  of  Women  Helplines  (WHL), Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) which is a pan-India single number (112)/ mobile app based system for emergencies; a cyber-crime reporting portal to report obscene content; safe city projects in 8 cities (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai) including infrastructure, technology adoption  and  capacity  building  in  community  through  awareness  programmes, establishment of state of the art DNA Laboratory at CFSL, Chandigarh; assistance to 24 States/ UTs to strengthen Forensic Science Laboratories; setting up of 1023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) for speedy disposal of cases of rape and cases under

POCSO Act; setting up/ strengthening of Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) in all districts of the country; setting up/ strengthening of Women Help Desks (WHDs) at Police Stations etc.

Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has also undertaken several initiatives, which, inter-alia include training and skill development programs for Investigation Officers, Prosecution Officers and Medical Officers, distribution of Sexual Assault Evidence Collection (SAEC) Kits to States/ UTs. BPR&D has also prepared Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for 'Women Help Desk at Police Stations' to ensure  smooth  functioning  of  Women  Help  Desks  by  focusing  on  four  critical components, viz. infrastructure, training, human resource development and response mechanism. Webinars on women safety with sensitivity, gender sensitization of police personnel etc. have also been organized by BPR&D.

Recognizing  the  need  for  psycho-social  counselling  to  women  affected  by violence and in distress, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has engaged the services of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) for providing basic and advanced training under the project named 'Stree Manoraksha' to the staff of One Stop Centres (OSCs) across the country on handling psycho-social and mental health care needs of women facing violence and distress.

The Government of India attaches top priority to the Public Grievances and complaints  of  women  and  girls  received  in  the  Ministry  through  various  channels and regularly monitors  them through periodic meetings, weekly Video Conferences, emails, phone calls etc.

Moreover, National Commission for Women (NCW), National Commission for Protection  of  Child  Rights  (NCPCR)  and  their  counterparts  in  States  have  been spreading awareness through seminars, workshops, audio- visual, print and electronic media etc. to sensitize the people about the safety and security of women and children and also about various provisions of the legislation etc. In addition, Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Home Affairs have issued advisories to States/ UTs from time to time on various issues pertaining to safety and security of women and children. In respect of the registered complaints, NCW  takes up the matter with all  stakeholders especially the Police Authorities to ensure that the complaints are redressed and brought to logical conclusion. The action taken reports received from the Police/Respondents are also shared with the complainants. When  the complainants are not satisfied with the action taken, the Commission further takes up the matter with the concerned authorities.

In addition, every year, the Commission collaborates with Government, Semi Government organizations, Universities, Academic and Research Organisations, etc. to undertake Seminars/Webinars/ Conferences  /Workshops and Research Studies to implement  the  mandate  on  gender  specific  themes  relating  to  the  current  issues regarding safety, security and empowerment of women. Further, the Commission has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between National Commission for Women and Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) on 15 th  July, 2021 for  conducting gender sensitization programmes for Police Officers/Officials across the country as a step forward to prevent crime against women. Since the signing of MoU, 18 programs have been conducted so far.

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