New Delhi: The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has revealed that incidents of sexual assault and kidnapping have increased in India over the past year.
According to the report, while the overall crime rate in India has decreased by 0.56%, cases of sexual assault have risen by 1.1%, and kidnapping cases have surged by 5.1% compared to the previous year.
The report highlights that despite the implementation of stricter penalties following the 2012 Nirbhaya case in Delhi, where a young woman was brutally gang-raped, such crimes have not seen a significant decline. In 2012, around 25,000 cases of sexual assault were recorded annually, but by 2022, this number had increased to 31,000, according to the NCRB. The report also noted a slight decline in these cases during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the overall trend shows a steady increase.
The data underscores the ongoing challenge of addressing sexual violence and kidnapping in India, despite legal reforms and increased awareness efforts.