Delhi sees uptick in crimes against women in 2021; 17.5% rise in rape cases

Delhi witnessed a sharp rise in cases of crime against women in 2021, with a 21.69 per cent surge in rape cases as compared to the previous year, police said on Thursday.

Moreover, 2,429 molestation cases were registered in 2021, an increase of 17.51 per cent.

The Delhi Police claimed the rise in cases is due to a "conscious policy of fair and truthful registration".

In 2021, 1,969 cases rape were reported in the city, up from 1,618 in 2020.

Police said that in 98.78 per cent of the rape cases, the accused were known to the victims.

Addressing an annual press conference of the Delhi Police, Commissioner Rakesh Asthana said only over 1 per cent of the accused were not known to victims in sexual assault cases. In most cases, it was family members, friends, neighbours or relatives, he said.

A total of 2,429 cases of molestation were reported in 2021, against 2,067 cases in 2020, they said.

Similarly, harassment (eve-teasing) cases have also witnessed an uptick, with 421 cases being registered in 2021 as compared to 411 cases in 2020, police said.

They claimed that 95.48 per cent of the total registered rape cases were solved. Police were also able to crack 90.98 per cent of molestation cases and 85.75 per cent cases related to insulting modesty of women.

"For us, the safety of women, children and vulnerable sections of the society is of the utmost priority. So, we have initiated a drive to have a pink booths all over the city," Asthana said

The Delhi Police have set up these booths in an attempt to provide a safe complaint redressal mechanism for women.