Crime against Women: A Case Study of Bahadurgarh City

INTRODUCTION

Centuries have come, and centuries have gone, but the plight of women is not likely to change. Time has helplessly watched women suffering in the form of discrimination, oppression, exploitation, degradation, aggression, humiliation. In Indian society, woman occupies a vital position and venerable place. The Vedas glorified women as the mother, the creator and one who gives life and worshipped her as a ‗Devi‘ or Goddess. But their glorification was rather mythical for at the same time, in India women found totally suppressed and subjugated in a patriarchal society. Indian women through the countries remained subjugated and oppressed because society believed in clinging on to orthodox beliefs for the brunt of violence-domestic as well as public, physical, emotional and mental. Male violence against women is worldwide phenomenon. Fear of violence is an important factor in the lives of most women. Fear of violence is the cause of lack of participation in every sphere of life. There are various forms of crime against women. Sometimes it is even before birth, some times in the adulthood and other phrases of life. In the Indian society, position of women is always perceived in relation to the man. This perception has given birth to various customs and practices. Violence against women both inside and outside of their home has been a crucial issue in the contemporary Indian society. Women in India constitute near about half of its population and most of them are grinding under the socio-cultural and religious structures. One gender has been controlling the space of the India‘s social, economic, political and religious fabric since time immemorial.

The structural conflict theory explains women‘s easy vulnerability to being the victims of gender related crime. According to these perspectives, much of male violence against females is actually rooted in dynamics of power domination and traditional control of man over women. Men

them from becoming powerful. Men use anger, rage, contempt and hatred against women merely to established their authority and power.

Hierarchical structure of the patriarchal family has historical legitimized subordination, domination and control of women. The structural arrangement in this type of family has been shown to be beneficial for men and detrimental for women. Russell argues that the role of bread winner gives the husband the economic power while the wife‘s role makes abuse is inevitable, but it does encourage man to abuse women. It is argued that sexiest foundation of patriarchal family structure promote masculine aggression and male violence against women.

Women and girls in most societies are subjected to differential pattern of socialization which encourages such dependency syndromes amongst the members of female sex as to make them believe that they are essentially weak and dependent persons in need of constant guardianship and protection of men. Endurance, passivity and docility are considered as the qualities of womanhood. The glorification of the image of an ideal woman who suffers in silence has enslaved women to live in a culture that permits their torture and termination both at home and at workplace.

Studies on marital domestic constraints of women reveal that much of women‘s domestic oppression results from their seclusion in home. Women are disciplined and dominate in home in ways which constrain and confine them to the captivity of domestic life. It is in married life and family maladjustment that women are most likes to be slapped and shoved about, to be severely assaulted or killed.

The secondary position of women in patriarchal male dominating societies inevitably renders the women to a position of powerless and socio-economic marginality. Cultural conditions in such societies tend to combine and conspire against the notion of equality between men and women. The norms of established order allow men to assure the unstated right to use women as imbalance in the distribution of economic and social power men and women which infect relegates women to a position of a social serf. The unequal power relation with in the family and even in the world outside make women accept of male superiority whether willingly or under the force

The main objectives of study are following as: • To make a spatial analysis of crime against women in Bahadurgarh City. • To examine the trend of crime against women in given study area during 2001-2014.

In the present study methodology is based on theoretical, cartographical and statistical techniques. In every geographical enquiry, spatial concept occupies the central position in its methodology, where the preparation of map is the most important tool. The geography of crime against women has been based on the analysis of record of crimes of City Police Station of Bahadurgarh. There are three elements of geographical perspective: Geographical description, analysis and prediction. In the present work the spatial distribution of recorded crimes has been mapped. The recorded crimes have been shown in numerical as well as percent of recorded crimes have been calculated with the help of following formula: Crime Percentage =NC/TFCC×100 Whereas, NC= number of any cases in Bahadurgarh City Wards, TFCC= Total cases of crime against women in Bahadurgarh City Wards. Present study describes spatial- temporal pattern of crime against women in study area. There are eleven categories of crime which come under ―crime against women‖. However, data at ward level in Bahadurgarh city could be available only for seven categories, i.e. rape, kidnapping, molestation, dowry death, torture (i.e. cruelty by husband or his relatives), murder (except dowry death), and sexual harassment. The data shows temporal pattern of crime against women at ward level in Bahadurgarh City. There were 523 cases reported under seven categories of ―crime against women‖ between 2001 to 2014. The cases under rape, kidnapping, dowry death, molestation, importation of girls, torture and murder are 62, 40, 19, 21, 44, 337 and 0 respectively.

Source: Table 1.1 If we see temporally, it shows that maximum crimes were reported in 2014 which is 76 cases and minimum crimes were reported in 2004 which is 17 cases. In every year, cases of torture were maximum as compared to the other crimes and dowry death and molestation cases were minimum as compared to the other crimes. If we see temporally, it shows that maximum crimes were reported in 2014 which is 76 cases and minimum crimes were reported in 2004 which is 17 cases. In every year, cases of torture were maximum as compared to the other crimes and dowry death and molestation cases were minimum as compared to the other crimes. The temporal differential of crime against women in Bahadurgarh City can be classified into three categories, following as:

The high level of incidences is 76 in 2014 year followed by 50 in 2013, 54 in 2012, and 49 in 2011and 44in 2010. All these years have high number of crime rate. The crime against women in Bahadurgarh City, the medium level of crime incidences was recorded is 38 in 2005 followed by 37 in 2007, 44 in 2008, 49 in 2010 and 50 in 2013.

The low level of crime incidences was reported in 2001 (27 cases) followed by 2002 (27 cases), 2003 (27 cases), 2004 (17 cases), 2006 (18 cases), 2009 (25 cases) and 2011 (34 cases). Thus, if we see temporally, in every year, Torture cases are found very high than other crimes in 2001-2014.

Source: Table 1.2 Figure 1.2 shows that rape cases were 11.85% of the total cases committed in Bahadurgarh City. The maximum number of cases was reported under torture which is 64.44% of total crime against women. The percentage of other crimes like

Spatially, maximum Rape cases were reported in ward no.18 which is 7 cases and in ward no. 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 16, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30 and 31; there was no case reported. Similarly, ward no. 2, 6 and 9 reported 2 cases each and ward no. 10, 13, 22 and 27 have reported 4 cases each. Kidnapping cases show certain wards i.e. ward no. 5, 6, 7, 10, 18 have reported 3 or more than three cases. Ward no. 1, 2, 13, 21 have reported 2 cases each and ward no. 3, 11, 12, 16, 19, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 have reported no case. Dowry death cases show that ward no. 1, 2 and 16 have the maximum cases of dowry death and ward no. 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30 and 31 have no case of dowry death. Similarly, ward no. 10, 12, 25 and 27 have 3 dowry death cases each and ward no. 6 and 17 have 1 dowry death case each. Molestation cases show that the maximum cases of molestation (6 cases) were reported in ward no.14. Similarly, ward no. 6 and 9 have 2 molestation cases each and ward no. 21 and 23 have 3 molestation cases each. Ward no. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29 and 30 have no case of molestation. Torture cases shows that the highest cases of torture (21 cases) were reported in ward no. 2 and ward no. 5 . The lowest cases of torture were reported in ward no. 29 (1 case), ward no. 27 (1 Importation of Girls cases show that the highest cases of importation were reported in ward no. 7 (5 cases) and ward no. 6, 10 and 13 (4 cases each). The minimum cases of importation were reported in ward no. 4, 9, 14, 16, 17, 22, 25, 26 and 31 (1 case each). In ward no. 3, 8, 11, 12, 19, 20, 23, 24, 28, 29 and 30; no case was found. Thus, If we see totally, Maximum number of total crimes are found in ward no. 1 (28 cases), 2 (31 cases), 5 (28 cases), 6 (28 cases), 7 (28 cases) and 21 (33 cases).

If we see total crimes in Bahadurgarh city, it is found that there are some wards in which all crimes are very high, in some wards, crimes are medium and in some wards, crimes are very low. It is shown in five categories: Very high crime (24-33 incidences): Very high crime rate is found in ward no. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 15, 18 and 21. High crime (18-24 incidences): High crime rate is found in ward no. 10, 13, 16, 20 and 22.

Low crime (6-12 incidences): Low crime rate is found in ward no. 3, 8, 9, 19, 23, 24 and 31. Very low crime (1-6 incidences): Very low crime rate is found in ward no. 11, 29 and 30. Thus, maximum number of crimes are reported in ward no.21 (33cases), ward no.2 (31 cases) and ward no. 1, 5, 6 and 7(28 cases each). To know the reasons behind maximum crimes in particular wards, an informal discussion was held with the Sub-inspector of Police station of Bahadurgarh City. He said that one reason behind maximum Crimes in particular wards is migration from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states and maximum migrants are ill-literate. So, they are more prone to crimes. Further study is required to substantiate this observation of police officer.

Efforts should be made to promote ‗a must education‘ criteria among women and provide educational facilities to them so that they can be made aware of the various provisions given to them by the Indian government. In view of the increasing number of dowry deaths, reforms should be made that the aggrieved person or recognized welfare organization, women‘s organization can file a complaint before a magistrate even if the girl‘s parents are unwilling or hostile to lodge complaints. The wards which are more prone to crime against women should be given priority so that crime against women may be reduced.

Ahuja. Ram (1998). Violence against women, Rawat Publication, Jaipur and New Delhi. Anand, Meenu (2014). ―The Gender of Violence: Understanding the Metaphysics of Power and Identity.‖ Women‟s Link 20(2): pp. 3-10. National Crime Record Bureau Report, 2010. National Crime Records Bureau, Crime in India, Available from www.ncrb.nic.in (2011). Sood, Sushma (1990). Violence against Women, Arihant Publication: Jaipur. Prabhakar, Vani (2012). Gender Violence: Women victims in Man‟s World, Wisdom Press: New Delhi.

Research Scholar at Department of Geography, JJTU, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan neerajrani26111991@gmail.com