The recent yearly data released by the Mumbai police suggest that 2020, there has been a 30 percent decline in the cases of crime against women as compared to that of a year ago. The pandemic ridden last year which was mostly gone in following lockdown norms has seen a similar trend in overall crime rate as well.
According to the statistics, last year the city recorded a total 4,539 cases of crime against women which was around 30 percent less than what was recorded a year before that. In 2019, the city recorded 6,437 cases of crime against women. However the detection rate of these cases was lower as compared to year 2019 when the city police detected 5,328 cases of total 6,438 cases with detection rate of 83 percent. While in 2020 the detection rate fell to 77 percent with 3,507 cases being detected out of total 4,539 cases.
The decline in the crime against women was seen in almost all types of crimes. Last year the city witnessed 766 rape cases while in 2019 the tally of rape cases was at 1,015 cases. Cases of molestation decreased as well, last year the city recorded 1943 cases of molestation, while year before that the count of molestation cases was at 2678 cases.
Murders of women have seen similar decline, 18 murder cases of women were recorded across the city in 2020 while the year before that the city witnessed 38 murders.
The cases of cruelty to married women registered under the IPC section of 498-A have been reduced as well. In 2019, the city recorded 93 cases registered under 498-A while last year their count was reduced to 47. The cases of mental or physical harassment of women for dowry have reduced as well, last year 454 such cases were recorded in the city while in 2019 their count was 603 cases.
In 2020 the city witnessed 445 rape cases of minor girls while a year before that 622 such cases had been registered. In 2019 the city police registered 686 cases registered under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences act while in 2020 their number fell to 487.
The city Police attributes this decline in crime against women to the lockdown which was also a reason why the overall crime rate of the city fell last year. Since last many years we have acquired no tolerance policy against the crime against women and the officers have been instructed to take these matter on priority, this is also one of the reason why there has been a decline, said a senior Mumbai police official.
