The arrest of a man on charges of raping his minor daughter and the nabbing of a suspected serial rapist who targeted minors, bring to the fore the increasing number of children who are being subject to sexual abuse in the city.
The Bangalore City police, until Tuesday, had registered 38 cases of sexual violence against women, including 10 cases of rape of minors, this calendar year.
According to police statistics, 98 cases of child rape have been reported in the city in the last three years, since 2010.
The year 2011 saw a steep rise in child rape cases with 47 cases reported, compared with 27 in 2010.
10 cases this year
Fourteen cases were reported in 2012 and 10 cases until the end of July 2013.
The statistics classified rape into three broad categories — rape of children, gang rape and the third category which includes consensual sex, luring the victim through marriage or job or through some other fraud. While five cases of gang-rape have been reported since 2010 till July this year, the cases in the third category topped the list with 36 in 2010, 49 in 2011, 59 in 2012 and 28 reported so far this year.
Patrolling
City Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar said that though the crime against women is under control comparatively, this could be kept under further check with intensive patrolling and police presence.
Deterrents
The certainty of punishment and time-bound investigations and trials could also deter sexual perpetrators, he said, adding that an integrated approach was a must to tackle such crimes effectively.
In the State
Meanwhile, the legislature committee on women and child welfare, in a study, has revealed that more than 2,150 rape cases were registered across Karnataka in the last three years.
The committee suggested that rape cases be brought under the purview of the Goonda Act.
The committee recommended that the government hand over suitable compensation to the victims and provide complete medical treatment.
The panel, which conducted a detailed study on violence against women, averred that lack of coordination among the police and the prosecution, advocates and the court was the main reason for delay in completing the trials.
