Rising trend noticed in rape cases across the country: Govt

The number of rape cases registered in the country has indicated a "rising trend" during 2009-11, the government said today.

Minister of State for Home Affairs, R P N Singh informed Rajya Sabha that a total of 21,397, 22,172 and 24,206 cases of rape has been registered during 2009, 2010, 2011 respectively.

The conviction rate in these cases for the years 2009-11 are 26.9, 26.6 and 26.4 per cent respectively, he said.

According to the NCRB data, Madhya Pradesh (3,406) registered the highest number of rape cases in 2011 followed by West Bengal (2,363).

The Union Government attaches highest importance to the matter of prevention and control of crime against women including rape, Singh said.

As per the Seventh Schedule, 'Police' and 'Public Order' are state subjects under the Constitution, and as such the primary responsibility of prevention, detention, registration, investigation and prosecution of crimes, including crime against women, lies with the state governments and union territory administrations, he said.

Apart from a detailed advisory dated 4 September, 2009, the Home Ministry has has been constantly pursuing the state governments/UTs to increase the number of women police officers and all women police stations there, he said.

Singh said some states/UTs have set up 'all women police station' at district level and almost all states have set up 'Mahila/Children help desk' at police station level.

"As a result of these interventions the numbers of women police and all women police stations have constantly increased," he said.

The number of women police in states has increased to 71,756 (2011) from 56,667 (2009) and the number of all women police stations has increased to 442 (2011) from 342 (2009), he said.

The Home Ministry has also introduced the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 in Parliament to make the offence of sexual assault gender neutral, and also widening the scope of

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