The Union government has outlined a 13-point agenda to ensure the safety and security of women, children, and SC/STs, which includes online reporting of sexual abuse and the distribution of pornographic material, zero FIRs into rape complaints, and improving police accountability, etc.
In a communication to states and Union Territories (UTs), the Centre said, “To ensure no delay and denial of justice to victims and families in cases of crimes against women and children, states may take steps to promote online registration of FIRs and device mechanisms to check whether FIRs, including zero FIRs where crime is reported outside the jurisdiction of police station, are being registered in time.”
The MHA cited directives issued by the parliamentary standing committee, chaired by Congress leader Anand Sharma, and included their recommendations to strengthen the mechanism to combat crime against women. In its report released in March of this year, the panel suggested “blocking” unauthorized Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), the dark web on the internet, and gender sensitization among political leaders.
“States and UTs may raise awareness through print and electronic media, including social media in local languages, about the mechanisms available to citizens for reporting cyber crime against women and children, particularly for sexual abuse as well as distribution of pornographic material, and legal awareness on the prevention of domestic violence,” the home ministry added.
Crimes against women increased 7.3 percent from 2018 to 2019, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), and crimes against Scheduled Castes increased 7.3 percent during the same time period. According to the NCRB report, “a total of 4,05,861 cases of crime against women were registered in 2019, representing a 7.3 percent increase over 2018 (3,78,236 cases).”
The NDA government established a dedicated branch in 2018 to deal with the increasing cases of crime against women and children. However, because law and order are a state responsibility, the home ministry has asked states and UTs to “strengthen or establish mechanisms to provide adequate assistance and timely support” in these cases.
