Rape cases: City retains its dubious distinction

September 14, 2016 12:00 am | Updated November 01, 2016 06:26 pm IST - VISAKHAPATNAM:

The city registers maximum number of rape cases in State for second consecutive year

The city of Visakhapatnam has once again registered the maximum number of rape cases in the State for the second consecutive year.

As per the 2015 statistics of National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), the number of rape cases registered in the city was 87, compared to 53 of Vijayawada. In 2014, Visakhapatnam recorded 84 cases, compared to 64 of Vijayawada. This makes the city lead the list, two years on the trot.

But a senior police officer claimed that out of the 87 cases recorded, except one, most of the cases registered were against known persons of the victim. The victims were raped either by their relatives, friends, neighbours, prospective grooms promising to marry them, lovers and live-in partners.

As per the NCRB statistics, about 40 per cent of the victims were in the age group of 4-18 years, whether in cities of Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada or for that matter in the entire State.

In 2012, in Visakhapatnam, the number of rape cases stood at 54 of which 21 were against minors. Similarly in 2013, the number was 67 and of which 39 were minor girls, in 2014 it was 84 and of which 33 were minors. And in 2015 it was 87 of which 25 were against minor girls.

State scenario

The total number of rape cases in the State in 2015 stood at 1,027 of which 1024 were committed by known persons, which includes incest rapes, by close relatives, distant relatives, neighbours, employers, live-in partners and promising to marry (breach of trust).

Though 99.7 per cent of the rapes were committed by known persons to the victims, what is alarming is the rape against minors, says ACP A. Narasimha Murthy. “Minors can be lured easily and they do not understand the repercussions of the heinous act. In many of the cases it has been seen that they try to hide the crime out of fear. This is where teachers and parents come into focus. They should educate their children to immediately notify them about any wrong advances made by friends, neighbours and relatives,” says M.V.R. Raju, professor, Department of Psychology, Andhra University.

According to K. Padma of Mahila Chetana, a women rights organisation, world over, rape of women, especially minors, are committed by known persons and relatives. Some victims come forward with a disclosure, others are just mute victims.

According to her, in the lower middle class and economically backward segment girls are exploited because of their economic background and in the middle class and higher echelons of the society, a majority of the girls are lured and raped under the garb of love and false promise of marriage.

Exposure in movies

“Sexual exposure in movies is also a cause for such rapes. In legal parlance, consensual sex with a minor is treated as a rape and it is called ‘technical rape’ and it attracts the POCSO Act,” she says.

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