7,563 rapes in Jharkhand in 10 years: Report

Ranchi, April 13 (IANS) As many as 7,563 rape cases were reported in Jharkhand during the ten-year period since the formation of the state in November 2000, a local NGO Jharkhand Human Rights Movement (JHRM) has reported.

In a report titled "Jharkhand Human Rights Report 2001-2010", the human rights group said women in the state were easy prey to crimes like rape, witchcraft and dowry. The report, released here in the form of a book, details various human rights violations in the state between 2001 and 2010.

The report, which JHRM claim is sourced from state government and National Crime Records Bureau statistics, said: "The state registered total 7,563 rape cases in 10 years against the total of 1,90,008 rapes in the country during the same period."

According to the report, a total of 2,707 women were killed for dowry, and 3,398 cases of dowry were registered between 2001 and 2010.

During the same period, the state registered 3,854 cases of abduction of women.

Among others, there were 3,384 cases of molestation, 230 cases of sexual harassment/exploitation, 136 cases of girl-trafficking and 75 cases of prostitution in the state.

According to the report, 5.3 percent rape accused were family members against a national average of 2.6 percent. Nine percent were relatives against 6.7 percent of national average, 34.8 percent were neighbours against national average of 34.5 and rest were 50.9 percent against national average of 56.2 percent.

The report said that a total of 1,157 women were killed in the state between 1991 and 2010 after being branded witch.

"The state government has failed to enforce law. Even society is responsible for rising crimes against women. As per data, more than 5 percent rape accused were family members. When girls are not safe in their house, then how we should expect them to be safe from neighbours and in society," Gladson Dundung, JHRM president told IANS.

He said: "State should ensure strict enforcement of law to minimize witchcraft and dowry cases. Society should also take initiative with progressive mindset. The witchcraft cases are higher in tribal society despite the fact that tribal women are considered progressive."

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