BENGALURU: Bengaluru is not safe for women and children, as revealed the statistics released by the City Crime Records Bureau.
The Bureau states that the number of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) cases has gone up from 317 in 2016 to 353 in 2017 till November and sexual harassment and molestation cases have increased from 774 in 2016 to 907 in 2017 till November.
The number of rape cases has also increased from 96 in 2016 to 125 in 2017 till November. Not only crimes against women and children, but cases of kidnapping too have gone up from 964 in 2016 to 988 in 2017 till November.
(2017 stats applicable till Nov)
Joint Commissioner of Police N. Satheesh Kumar told Deccan Chronicle that the number of crimes in the city has remained the same as earlier. But unlike in other cities, people in Bengaluru are more open to reporting them. Because of various awareness programmes conducted by the social welfare and child welfare departments, people here are more aware, he reasoned.
“In Bengaluru, registering complaints has become easy. People don’t have to go to a police station to file a complaint. All they have to do is to download the form from apps and file the complaint. When it comes to crimes against women, the police have been directed to register the complaints immediately,” he said.
“The role of proactive media and democratic movements has changed the mindset of the people in the city. As compared to earlier years, more people are coming forward to report such crimes. But in many remote areas, people still hesitate to approach the police,” said K.S. Vimala, state president of Janawadi Mahila Sanghatana.
She said that gender equality and sex education should be included in the curriculum at the primary school level, which helps nurture balanced adults, ensuring a safer environment.
