The country witnessed 1,321,745 cases filed by women between 2021-2023, with 4,28,278 in 2021, 4,45,256 in 2022 and 4,48,211 in 2023, while the highest number of cases were reported in Uttar Pradesh with 1,88,207 cases, the Union government informed Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Besides Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan (1,31,246), Maharashtra (1,31,958), Madhya Pradesh (95,780) and West Bengal (1,05,313) accounted for some of the highest volumes of reported cases between 2021-2023, reflecting persistent challenges in tackling gender-based offences.
What did the data show?
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar stated that the figures were based on the National Crime Records Bureau’s annual Crime in India report, the latest of which pertains to 2023.
The data showed that major crime categories between 2021-2023—such as cruelty by husband or relatives (4,09,929), kidnapping and abduction (2,49,284), rape (92,863), and assault with intent to outrage modesty (2,56,435)—continued to form a large part of the national burden.
Cases under Special and Local Laws, including those filed under the Dowry Prohibition Act and the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, also increased over the three-year span.
Rise in cases of child abuse
For crimes against children, the country witnessed 4,89,188 cases in these years.
Madhya Pradesh topped the list with 22,393 cases in 2023, followed by Maharashtra, which recorded 22,390 cases. Uttar Pradesh reported 18,852 cases, Rajasthan 10,577 cases and Bihar 9,906 cases. West Bengal and Odisha continued to feature among the states with significant numbers.
In terms of totality, Madhya Pradesh recorded 61,981 such cases between 2021-2023, followed by 60,413 in Maharashtra and 54,372 in Uttar Pradesh.
A substantial portion of cases involving children fell under kidnapping and abduction, followed by offences registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Notably, cases under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act saw an unprecedented jump in 2023, increasing to 6,038 cases nationwide, while it was 1,002 in 2022 and 1,050 in 2021.