BHOPAL: The number of rape cases had become almost double in 2020 in comparison to that in 2019. Whereas, in 2019, 2,485 rape cases were reported in the state according to the National Crime Bureau report, the number increased to 4,553 in 2020, according to the State Crime Bureau records.
When the entire world was trying to save itself from the deadly coronavirus infection, some mentally sick people were busy outraging the modesty of women and raping women and children in the state.
Its common enough to hear that “if girls are kept behind closed doors, they’ll be safe”, but this ‘philosophy’ turned out to be wrong in 2020.
The national lockdown was imposed in the state, as well as on the nation, from March 23. In the earlier three months — from January to March — more than 350 rapes had taken place each month. After the announcement of the lockdown, everyone stayed put behind closed doors, the police were on a high alert and all the roads, lanes and bylanes were under the vigil of the police and civic volunteers. But, despite all the security arrangements, girls and women were as unsafe as on normal days, their modesty outraged and even being raped.
In April, the number dropped to 207, but, from the next month, May, the number rose to what it had been before. In pandemic times, the number of intent to insult the modesty of women had dropped. In 2019, the number was 10,472, and, in 2020, the number dropped to 7,673. Experts claim that the reason behind the drop is related to less outside exposure, but they also say that girls and women were harassed in their home, itself.
