While the whole nation is shocked by the news of 15 rape incidents in Haryana in the past one month, our own State, which outdoes it by many times, is basking in the shadow of relative anonymity.
If one is to be outraged by numbers, there are more outrageous numbers here in the State, with incidents of rape committed against Dalits and Adivasis themselves amounting to 14 per month!
According to the latest data from the police records for the current year, about four women are raped every day in the State, and more than 125 women per month!
Even put as a percentage to population, this figure will make Haryana’s 15 appear insignificant.
A total of 754 incidents of rape have been reported in the first six months of this year from across the State.
No prizes for guessing the crime capital of the State in terms of rape incidents. It is the State capital itself with 79 incidents of rape reported from Hyderabad and Cyberabad commissionerates during the period.
Closely behind is West Godavari district with 72 incidents. Adilabad and Khammam stand third and fourth with 60 and 46 incidents respectively.
Since 2002, no single year has recorded fewer than 75 reported incidents of rape per month on an average in the State. As per the latest annual data available on the National Crime Records Bureau website for the year 2011, 1,442 incidents of rape have been reported from Andhra Pradesh.
However, according to the statistics uploaded onto the CID website, the figure stands at 1,387 for the same year. Even at 1,387, it is more than 115 incidents in an average month!
While the figures for the past decade showed a declining trend between 2002 and 2004, the latter years have shown a phenomenal rise in crime. From 898 in 2005, reported incidents of rape have risen to 1,387 (as per AP Police) in 2011, clocking over 54 percent increase over six years.
There is a bigger jump in the incidents of rape committed against Dalit and Adivasi women during the period. From 92 cases recorded in 2002, the incidents have risen to 169 in 2011, clocking almost 84 per cent increase in ten years.
This, coupled with incidents from Adivasi-majority districts is cause for concern.
