Odisha Sees Spike In Rape Cases In First Half Of 2020 Even During Lockdown

Bhubaneswar: The lockdown in the State due to coronavirus had forced people to stay indoors but that did not, in any way, help in checking crime rate, particularly against women.

Crime statistics of Odisha Police shows that 1,212 rape cases were registered in the first half of 2020, up from the 1,149 cases during the corresponding period in 2019. Altogether, 2,950 rape cases were registered in 2019 while it was 2,502 in 2018. The rise in cases raises questions on safety of women in the state.

Do the rise in crime against women state that the accused were acquaintances like friends and family? Well, quite possible.

According to the police most of the rape complaints this year were filed between
January and March. Of the 1,212 cases, around 30 per cent were reported between April and June. 

Others factors which can be attributed to the rise in registration of rape cases could be  that women have become more aware and have the confidence in police as well as law after the Nirbhaya incident in Delhi.

On the other hand crimes like burglary, theft and swindling also increased in the first half of this year as compared to the corresponding period in 2019. While 1,560 swindling cases were registered in first six months of this year, it was 1,245 during the corresponding period in 2019. In burglaries while 2,060 cases were reported till June this year, it was 1,700 during the same period last year.

One reason such cases rose is because many houses fell vacant after their occupants departed for their native places in the wake of job loss, closure of offices and markets following the lockdown.

However, on the bright side murder, dacoity and robbery cases decreased, the official data said.