Crimes Against Women: A Statistical Analysis

Women have been the centre for most offences in the last few decades. Survival in a world where the system is strictly patriarchal and the aura is visibly male-dominated becomes very challenging and difficult to breathe and function equally well when hindrances are expected before taking a step towards opportunity for them. The iron of the situation is such that in a society like the one in India women are “DEVIs” and “DASIs” at the same time. The right to live with human dignity is unreasonably taken away, while at the other end Goddesses are worshipped. The present study focuses on the status of sexual offenses against women in urban cities and the inefficiency of the law to punish the perpe-trator in a way that befits the offence. The study progresses to explain how the criminological statistics explain the present status of sexual crimes against women in India


INTRODUCTION
Women have often proved their efficiency in stand as an equal to their male counterparts but their competence is most frequently questioned in every society however forward or modern minded it is. An offence wounding the dignity and honour is one such question raised or if the researcher can take the liberty of stating it the society's attempt in saying, "You are feeble and need to be protected if you are on your own there is no guard to your modesty". Sexual offences are an outrages action not just harms the dignity of a women but also puts her integrity into a state of uncertainty in the eyes of the society as well as the law. Most victims in cases of these offences also suffer secondary victimization. This work is the researcher's attempt to highlight the gravity of sexual offences as well as the laws dealing with them.

OBJECTTIVES
• To observe the statistical trends of sexual offences against women and analyse the gravity of the situation. • To study the various types of sexual offences against women as per laws. • To identify if the punishments fit the crime and understand the present scenario of sexual offences against women.

METHODOLOGY
Universe of the Study: The present work contributes towards understanding the status of women and sexual crime against women focusing on present statistical trend as a basis. Here the researcher also aims to present the current rising trend in the sexual offences against women and the gravity of the situation. Cases from various newspaper sources and victim as well as societal reaction towards crime against women have been observed closely and concentrated on as the targeted essence of this work.

Tools and Techniques:
The current work is primarily based on information and statistical information procured from reliable sources such as national crime reports and other content derivatives like journals, books, newspaper articles/editorials, internet polls/surveys etc. the contents from all these sources were precisely reviewed and compared to deduced to the desired answers from the available channels. Assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty (Sec. 354 IPC) -Incidents of Assault on Women with Intent to outrage her Modesty in the country have increased by 5.5% over the previous year (42,968 cases). Madhya Pradesh has reported the highest incidence (6,655) amounting to 14.7% of total such incidences. Kerala has reported the highest crime rate (20.9) as compared to the National average of 7.7.

VARIOUS LAWS AGAINST SEXUAL VIOLENCE
Insult to the modesty of women (Sec. 509 IPC) -The number of such cases has increased by 7% during the year over the previous year (8,570 cases). Andhra Pradesh has reported 40.5% (3,714 cases) followed by Maharashtra 14.1% (1,294 cases) of total incidences during the year 2012. Andhra Pradesh has reported the highest crime rate (8.7) as compared to the national average of 1.6.
Importation of girl from foreign country (Sec. 366-B IPC) (Incidence-59) A decrease of 26.2% has been observed in crime head as 59 cases were reported during the year 2012 as compared to 80 cases in the previous year (2011). Karnataka (32 cases) and West Bengal (12 cases) have together contributed 93.2% of total such cases at the national level.
The figures very precisely depict the intensity of sexual offences in India and its severity in killing the essence of a civilization. The laws are also at place to counter these offences yet the scales are only increasing. The reason could both be the leniency in the laws or the governance that there is no fear and respect left for the norms of the society. No society is free from crime is a truth with certainty, there is no such thing as a crimeless society but needs to be a line drawn between necessity as a source of crime and insanity or rather perversion in case of sexual offences. The common mind cannot think of a reason for a pervert offence like incest or paedophilia or an incident that set the highest limits of barbarism on the 16 th of December, 2012 in Delhi.

CONCLUSION
It is still question as to where we are leading as a society by punishing women in ways outraging their modesty by forcing them into naked parades and gang raping them in the name of honour. The punishment for rape which is stated as seven years that can extend to ten years or life has hardly any deterrence on the public. In many instance unless there is public outrage the governance fails to render speedy justice. Women, little girls are hardly save even at their homes and molestation cases are seen as quite common and goes as an unnoticed news item in the papers. There are few complaints filed in such cases because the victims fear the law and its procedure more than the accused. Internet has become a free access for learning and advanced learning for children. The generation has information and availability of open avenues more than anything. It is rightly said, "Technology could be a boon as well as bane for society". Private lives are publicised for the world to see and comment on social networks. The civilization today is taking backward move. Overall the laws have lost their stringency and the people have lost the essence of humanity as well as the fear for codes and ethics. The institution of religion also fails to hold the control that it once yielded over its people.

FINDINGS
The rate of sexual crime against women is on rise all over the country. Rape, molestation, disregard for dignity to live the way a women wants is not respected by the society or by certain people. It is essential that there should be more stringency in the law and a quick and speedy procedure to deal and immediacy in rendering justice to the public in case of sexual offence to reduce the pains and agony of the victims. Both the objectives of analysing the statistical trend and laws of sexual offences has been successfully met with by the researcher.