As the Year of Empowerment for Women is coming to an end, it is necessary to bring to focus the survival dilemma faced by women in India. During my study of district level crime data for Maharashtra, (Mehendale, 2001) I had found that all districts from two revenue divisions Nagpur and Amarawati had very high rates of rape but low rate for dowry death. As opposed to this, all districts of Aurangabad division had very high rates of dowry deaths but low rates for rape. This was the picture throughout the decade of ‘90s. It was only logical to undertake a similar analysis at All India level and see what pattern emerged. I took the average data for 1995-96-97 as the basis of this study. Surprisingly, the pattern repeats itself at the national level. Even within a state the same either- or pattern is found to be repeating in Rajasthan, Himachal, Andhra, Bihar and Bengal.
Among all crimes the most henious are the two crimes of rape and dowry death against women. The threat of first clips the wings of a woman ready to take up all flights into freedom and achievement. It cripples her mentally and hurts physically beyond the imagination of anyone else. Dowry death, on the other hand, arises out of a mentality that denies the women equal status and respect even in supposedly “her own” house.
What are the pre-conditions for empowerment of women for which we are all so keen? As analysed earlier, (ibid) access to relevant education, economic opportunities and freedom from violence are the key factors. Above finding shows that availability of the first two is a pre- condition that is necessary but not sufficient. In past fifty years various Government schemes were formulated for providing education (it can be doubted whether it was also relevant education) and to some extent economic opportunities. However, there was no conscious scheme for freedom from violence or speedy justice delivery.
This is, perhaps, the reason for this very typical situation in which women, both educated or uneducated, working outside or inside the “home” find themselves. Although it can be a matter of part satisfaction that a state or a region can concentrate its efforts on one type of crime against women, the academicians and activists will have to consider what option can they offer to women.
· Chart 1 gives a state-wise comparison between rates of rape and that of dowry death. The All India averages for these two are 157 and 58 respectively. A scatter graph plotting these rates shows that Delhi has high rates in both. Most of the states with high rates of rape have low dowry deaths and vice versa
· States with high rate for rape but low for dowry deaths are: mizoram, MP, Arunachal, Himachal, Assam, A&N islands.
· State with high rate for dowry deaths but low rate for rape are UP, Haryana, Punjab.
· Lakshdweep has no crime against women. States in which both the rates are on the lower side are Manipur, Gujrat, Karnatak, Kerala and Tamilnadu.
· The state level aggregate is not a very powerful indicator as it tends to average out the local level extremes. Hence a district level desegregation is necessary.
· The district with highest rape rate (687) is East Siang in Arunachal Pradesh, while that with highest dowry death rate (300) is Mainpuri in UP.
· The district level analysis shows two peculiar features. Out of first 50 districts having high r/r, 27 are from MP. Similarly, out of first 50 districts having high dowry death rates 21 are from UP. (charts 3 and 4). Further, the 50 districts of chart 3 do not have dowry death rates exceeding 200 while the 50 districts of chart 4 do not have r/r exceeding 400. It is possible that both types of crimes arise mainly from a typical power- mongering male attitude and the banter about women being enemy of women as often quoted while referring to the role of mother- in- law is really not the main cause for the dowry deaths. This line of argument deserves further consideration.
· The district level scatter graph in chart 5 can be studied with respect to the point (400,134). Districts in which both the crimes are higher than these limits - ie the 1st quadrant districts are only 6, namely Sagar, Damoh, Hoshangabad, Gwalior, north west Delhi, and Karnal. As delineated in curve3, north Delhi and Raisen can be added to this catagory. Other 17 districts are delineated by curve 4 and yet other 30 by curve 5. Chart 6 gives the lists of these 55 districts. All of them are from MP [23], UP [13], Delhi [8], Haryana [5], Rajasthan [4], Maharshtra [2], AP and Bihar 1 each. Thus MP, Delhi, Haryana and Maharashtra are states with high rates in both crimes. Orissa too comes in this catagory though at a lower level.
· The 2nd quadrant districts with high dowry deaths but relatively low r/r are UP, AP and Punjab.
· The 4th quadrant districts with higher r/r but lower dowry rates are Mizoram, Himachal, Arunachal, Assam, Bihar, and Rajasthan.
· Among the 3rd quadrant districts the real lowest ones (200, 67) are from Kerala (-Waynadu), Tamilnadu, Bengal, Gujrat (-Surat city), Karnatak.
· It is interesting to see the north- east separately. Arunachal, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Meghalaya (except Jaintia hill district) have no record of dowry deaths. Out of these Manipur and Nagaland have low r/r too; only 3 districts exceeding a rate of 100. In Meghalaya too, all districts have r/r below 150. On the other hand, Mizoram districts have very high rape rates. In Arunachal, East Siang with its highest r/r appears an aberration, though other districts also have high r/r. Tripura with its proximity to Bengal has a low but non- zero dowry rate and low r/r. Sikkim too has no record of dowry deaths.
· The either – or nature of these two heinous crimes against women points to an unfortunate dilemma before the women. Those who seek to come out of the boundary walls of domestic life face the violence outside while those who seek to remain inside, face dowry deaths. Where can women find the succor?
· An effective action for safety of women is needed much more in central parts of the country.
· Chart 1:
state name | R/rp | R/dd |
mizoram | 581 | 0 |
MP | 448 | 69 |
delhi | 410 | 128 |
Aru_P | 355 | 0 |
tripura | 281 | 37 |
assam | 250 | 12 |
rajasthan | 234 | 73 |
HP | 220 | 14 |
A&N islands | 206 | 20 |
haryana | 184 | 125 |
orissa | 176 | 59 |
J&K | 165 | 7 |
all india | 157 | 58 |
maharashtra | 153 | 51 |
meghalaya | 145 | 2 |
bihar | 144 | 43 |
kerala | 132 | 8 |
sikkim | 131 | 0 |
AP | 119 | 59 |
daman & diu | 118 | 0 |
goa | 113 | 15 |
UP | 111 | 123 |
D&N haveli | 111 | 19 |
west bengal | 110 | 18 |
nagaland | 98 | 0 |
chandigarh | 95 | 29 |
gujrat | 72 | 14 |
punjab | 70 | 75 |
manipur | 56 | 0 |
tamilnadu | 54 | 21 |
karnatak | 50 | 39 |
pondichery | 30 | 22 |
lakshdweep | 0 | 0 |
Chart 2 and 3: are 2 scatter graphs comapring crime against women vis-a-vis total crimes and rate of rapes vs rate of dowry death.
1) Rate of total crimes against women was highest in Rajashtan, MP, Delhi and Maharashtra.
2) The ratio of all crimes against women with total crimes is surprisingly highest in West Bengal.
3) The lower number of crimes in some states could be on account of improper or non recording.
4) Punjab having low rates fot all other crimes against women has the 5th highest dowry death rate.
The NCRB must make a separate record of organised or mass atrocities against women.
4 states with maximum crime rate are also the states with highest rape rate. They are Delhi, Rajasthan, MP, Mizoram. A scatter diagram of total crimes Vs rapes shows a general corelation between the two. Hence increase in total crime rate should ring an alarm.It therefore appears that general improvement in the law enforcement is one of the pre- conditions for women’s empowerment.NCRB brings out data on 6 major crimes against women under IPC namely, rape, molestation, abduction, sexual harrasment dowry death.
chart 5:
< state | worst 25 districts | R/rp | R/dd> | state | next 30 district | R/rp | R/dd > |
MP | RAISEN | 837 | 117 | MP | SIHORE | 789 | 42 |
RAJASTHAN | JHALAWAR | 837 | 54 | MP | GUNA | 765 | 33 |
MP | VIDISHA | 689 | 65 | RAJASTHAN | BANSWARA | 726 | 38 |
MP | SAGAR | 688 | 165 | MP | BHOPAL | 565 | 63 |
MP | HOSHANGABAD | 671 | 138 |
MP | CHHINDWARA | 554 | 64 |
DELHI UT | NORTH | 590 | 127 | MP | DHAR | 531 | 64 |
MP | NARASINGHPUR | 561 | 77 | MP | DEWAS | 513 | 65 |
MP | RATLAM | 552 | 86 | MP | CHHATARPUR | 416 | 81 |
MP | DAMOH | 513 | 170 | MP | TIKAMGARH | 408 | 85 |
DELHI UT | CENTRAL | 487 | 87 | DELHI UT | SOUTH WEST | 379 | 97 |
DELHI UT | SOUTH | 452 | 110 | MP | PANNA | 322 | 77 |
HARYANA | KARNAL | 422 | 154 | HARYANA | FARIDABAD | 283 | 126 |
MP | GWALIOR | 421 | 176 | MP | SATNA | 279 | 127 |
MP | JABALPUR | 412 | 125 | MP | INDORE | 244 | 155 |
DELHI UT | NORTH WEST | 406 | 168 | DELHI UT | EAST | 240 | 123 |
DELHI UT | WEST | 383 | 117 | RAJASTHAN | BHARATPUR | 237 | 124 |
DELHI UT | NORTH EAST | 355 | 143 | AP | KARIMNAGAR | 215 | 159 |
MP | MURAINA | 317 | 128 | UP | SHAJAHANPUR | 213 | 133 |
MP | RIWA | 242 | 214 | UP | PILIBHIT | 212 | 125 |
RAJASTHAN | DHOLPUR | 236 | 217 | UP | SITAPUR | 205 | 184 |
HARYANA | REWARI | 196 | 201 | UP | BAREILLY | 187 | 164 |
UP | UNNAO | 193 | 203 | UP | ETAWAH | 181 | 202 |
HARYANA | BHIWANI | 193 | 195 | UP | KHERI | 178 | 188 |
UP | ETAH | 165 | 233 | UP | MATHURA | 172 | 180 |
MAHARASH | AURANGABAD | 126 | 291 | UP | FEROZABAD | 170 | 199 |
| | | | MP | BHIND | 169 | 161 |
| | | | HARYANA | SONIPAT | 169 | 188 |
| | | | UP | ALIGARH | 162 | 174 |
| | | | UP | KANPUR | 147 | 226 |
| | | | BIHAR | MADHEPURA | 100 | 233 |
| | | | MAHARASHTRA | LATUR | 87 | 247 |
| | | | UP | MAINPURI | 75 | 300 |
state | dist | R/rp95-97 | R/dd95-97 | state | dist | R/rp95-97 | R/dd95-97 |
AR PRADESH | SIANG EAST | 877 | 0 | UP | MAINPURI | 75 | 300 |
RAJASTHAN | JHALAWAR | 837 | 54 | MAHARASHTRA | AURANGABAD | 126 | 291 |
MP | RAISEN | 837 | 117 | MAHARASHTRA | LATUR | 87 | 247 |
MP | SIHORE | 789 | 42 | BIHAR | MADHEPURA | 100 | 233 |
HP | KINNAUR | 773 | 0 | UP | ETAH | 165 | 233 |
MP | GUNA | 765 | 33 | UP | KANPUR | 123 | 229 |
RAJASTHAN | BANSWARA | 726 | 38 | RAJASTHAN | DHOLPUR | 236 | 217 |
MP | VIDISHA | 689 | 65 | MP | RIWA | 242 | 214 |
MP | SAGAR | 688 | 165 | UP | UNNAO | 193 | 203 |
MP | HOSHANGABAD | 671 | 138 | UP | ETAWAH | 181 | 202 |
MP | RAJGARH | 661 | 27 | HARYANA | REWARI | 196 | 201 |
MP | BALAGHAT | 643 | 25 | UP | FEROZABAD | 170 | 199 |
MIZORAM | AIZAWL | 638 | 0 | HARYANA | BHIWANI | 193 | 195 |
MP | SARGUJA | 605 | 10 | UP | JALAUN | 74 | 195 |
J&K | RAJOURI | 603 | 8 | UP | KHERI | 178 | 188 |
BIHAR | GUMLA | 602 | 0 | HARYANA | SONIPAT | 169 | 188 |
DELHI UT | NORTH | 590 | 127 | UP | AGRA | 118 | 187 |
RAJASTHAN | BUNDI | 572 | 50 | UP | SITAPUR | 205 | 184 |
MP | BHOPAL | 565 | 63 | MAHARASHTRA | DHULE | 112 | 183 |
MP | NARASINGHPUR | 561 | 77 | UP | MATHURA | 172 | 180 |
MIZORAM | LUNGLEI | 557 | 0 | MP | GWALIOR | 421 | 176 |
MP | CHHINDWARA | 554 | 64 | UP | ALIGARH | 162 | 174 |
MP | RATLAM | 552 | 86 | MP | DAMOH | 513 | 170 |
MP | SHAJAPUR | 550 | 20 | HARYANA | JIND | 131 | 169 |
BIHAR | KISHANGANJ | 546 | 6 | DELHI UT | NORTH WEST | 406 | 168 |
MP | DURG | 542 | 43 | UP | FATEHPUR | 110 | 168 |
MP | DHAR | 531 | 64 | MP | SAGAR | 688 | 165 |
MP | RAJNANDGAON | 513 | 35 | UP | BAREILLY | 187 | 164 |
MP | DAMOH | 513 | 170 | MP | BHIND | 169 | 161 |
MP | DEWAS | 513 | 65 | AP | KARIMNAGAR | 215 | 159 |
MP | SHIVPURI | 497 | 44 | MP | INDORE | 244 | 155 |
MAHARASHTRA | NAGPUR | 496 | 40 | HARYANA | KARNAL | 422 | 154 |
DELHI UT | CENTRAL | 487 | 87 | AP | RANGA REDDY | 101 | 147 |
MP | MANDLA | 475 | 19 | UP | BARABANKI | 160 | 144 |
ASSAM | LAKHIMPUR | 470 | 0 | DELHI UT | NORTH EAST | 355 | 143 |
MAHARASHTRA | GADCHIROLI | 454 | 11 | UP | HARDOI | 178 | 141 |
DELHI UT | SOUTH | 452 | 110 | HARYANA | MAHENDRAGARH | 139 | 139 |
ASSAM | HAILAKANDI | 444 | 12 | MP | HOSHANGABAD | 671 | 138 |
MP | BETUL | 435 | 62 | UP | BULANDSHAHAR | 137 | 137 |
HARYANA | KARNAL | 422 | 154 | UP | SHAJAHANPUR | 213 | 133 |
MP | GWALIOR | 421 | 176 | UP | JAUNPUR | 36 | 132 |
J&K | UDHAMPUR | 421 | 0 | UP | BADAUN | 191 | 131 |
KERALA | WAYANADU | 419 | 27 | BIHAR | NALANDA | 88 | 130 |
MP | CHHATARPUR | 416 | 81 | MP | MURAINA | 317 | 128 |
MAHARASHTRA | AMRAVATI | 413 | 42 | MP | SATNA | 279 | 127 |
MP | JABALPUR | 412 | 125 | DELHI UT | NORTH | 590 | 127 |
MP | DATIYA | 411 | 45 | HARYANA | YAMUNANAGAR | 148 | 126 |
MP | TIKAMGARH | 408 | 85 | HARYANA | FARIDABAD | 283 | 126 |
DELHI UT | NORTH WEST | 406 | 168 | MP | JABALPUR | 412 | 125 |
ASSAM | SIBSAGAR | 400 | 0 | UP | PILIBHIT | 212 | 125 |
Chart 1 above gives a list of worst 25 districts along with other 32 districts where both types of crime rates are high enough to warrant a more concerted action. Chart 2 gives the lists of 50 districts each having highest rates of rape and dowry deaths respectively.
The district level scatter graph in chart 5 can be studied with respect to the point (400,134). Districts in which both the crimes are higher than these limits - ie the 1st quadrant districts are only 6, namely Sagar, Damoh, Hoshangabad, Gwalior, north west Delhi, and Karnal. As delineated in curve3, north Delhi and Raisen can be added to this catagory. Other 17 districts are delineated by curve 4 and yet other 30 by curve 5. Chart 6 gives the lists of these 25 districts each. All of them are from MP 23, UP 13, Delhi 8, Haryana 5, Rajasthan 4, Maharshtra 2, AP 1 and Bihar 1. Thus MP, Delhi, Haryana and Maharashtra are states with high rates in both crimes. Orissa too comes in this catagory though at a lower level.
The 2nd quadrant districts with high dowry deaths but relativly low r/r are UP, AP and Punjab.
The 4th quadrant districts with higher r/r but lower dowry rates are Mizoram, Himachal, Arunachal, Assam, Bihar, and Rajasthan.
Among the 3rd quadrant districts the real lowest ones (200, 67) are from Kerala (-Waynadu), Tamilnadu, Bengal, Gujrat (-Surat city), Karnatak.
It is interesting to see the north- east separately. Arunachal, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Meghalaya (except Jaintia hill district) have no record of dowry deaths. Out of these Manipur and Nagaland have low r/r too; only 3 districts exceeding a rate of 100. In Meghalaya too, all districts have r/r below 150. On the other hand, Mizoram districts have very high rape rates. In Arunachal, East Siang with its highest r/r appears an aberration, though other districts also have high r/r. Tripura with its proximity to Bengal has a non- zero dowry rate and low r/r. Sikkim too has no record of dowry deaths.
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