More than 24,000 cases pertaining to domestic violence and sexual violence have been registered based on the calls made by the city’s women to the 181 Women’s Helpline in the last year and a half. Incidentally, over 66,000 calls have been received by the helpline with regard to domestic violence and nearly 20,000 calls on sexual assault since its inception in late-December 2012.
Preliminary analysis of data going as per FIRs registered in different police stations following complaints made to the helpline has shown a trend that domestic violence, sexual assault and cases relating to kidnapping and abduction follow a pattern, said Human Rights consultant Khadijah Faruqui, who also heads it.
“We have received nearly 10 lakh calls since the helpline was set up and this is not a small number. If we club all the sexual crimes in one category and look at the cases registered per police stations, the maximum cases seem to be registered in areas in the peripheral parts of the city. For domestic violence, more or less the same police stations show up as places were maximum cases have been registered,” she says. “Peripheral parts of the city seem more crime prone.”
Ms. Faruqui cautions, however, that this is just the preliminary analysis and she has requested information from the Delhi Police and the women’s cell to have a better understanding. “I also plan to meet SHOs and speak to women who phone in. For now, I find that the crime prone areas encircle the city.”
Parts of West Delhi such as Uttam Nagar, Nangloi, Dabri and Tilak Nagar feature prominently as places were maximum number of cases have been registered in these two categories. Burari and Jahangirpuri in North Delhi and parts of Outer Delhi such as Sultanpuri, Narela and Vijay Vihar see a spike in cases.
In all, the 181 Helpline that runs over three shifts, with at least six people working in each shift, has received up to 9,79,594 calls between December 31, 2012, and July 27 this year. Of these, 6,76,542 calls have been answered which range from calls pertaining to acid attacks, missing persons, dowry violence or just women calling in for some advice.
