In 2018, five women were raped every day in Delhi
Annual crime data released by the Delhi Police on Wednesday revealed disturbing facts about crime in the national capital. In what can only be called a deplorable state of affairs, data has shown that five women were raped every day in Delhi in 2018, and almost half of the cases involved friends or family friends committing the rape. Here are the details.
Rape cases declined marginally compared to 2017 and 2016
In 2018, a total of 2,043 rape cases were registered in Delhi - a marginal decline from the 2,059 rape cases in 2017 and 2,065 rape cases in 2016. Meanwhile, involvement of friends and family friends in rape cases soared from 39% in 2017 to 43% of cases in 2018. While police officers said that 95% of registered rape cases had been solved, it does little to make the picture any less grim.
In over 90% of cases, rapists were known to victims
While 43% of rapes were committed by friends or family friends, 16.25% of rapes were committed by neighbors. In 12.04% of the cases, relatives were responsible, while 2.89% of rapes were committed by co-workers. Meanwhile, other known people accounted for 22.86% of rape cases.
Molestation cases, too, saw a marginal decline compared to 2017
Molestation cases, too, saw a slight decline, with 3,175 registered cases in 2018, compared to 3,275 cases the year before. In 2016, the number of molestation cases registered had been 4,032. Police also said that 2,290 arrests were made in connection to rape cases in 2018, compared to 2,275 in 2017, and 2,072 in 2016.
Delhi Police have suggested several measures to improve women's safety
Despite the marginal decreases in crime against women, the situation, in absolute terms, still remains alarming. Given this fact, the Delhi Police have asked the Delhi government to take several steps to improve women's safety, including the installation of lights in dark stretches of the city, and the inclusion of self-defense as part of school curricula. Gender sensitization programs have also been recommended.
Murder saw a marginal decline in 2018
Women's safety apart, the statistics released also gave insights into other crimes in the national capital. Murder cases saw a marginal decline, falling to 477 in 2018, compared to 487 the year before. Police also said that heinous crimes, overall, saw a 12% decrease in 2018, while street crimes like snatchings and robberies declined by 18% and 20%, respectively.
Vehicle-related incidents and crimes rose in 2018
That said, vehicle-related incidents and crimes saw a spike in 2018. Fatal accidents rose from 1,491 in 2017 to 1,562 in 2018, while casualties resultant of these accidents rose from 1,510 in 2017 to 1,604 in 2018. Meanwhile, vehicle thefts increased by 13% - from 39,084 cases in 2017 to 44,158 cases in 2018.
