Rise in atrocities on women in Bihar

Notwithstanding the Bihar NDA government's initiatives towards women's empowerment, the year 2008 witnessed an increase in incidents of atrocities on women related to abduction, murder for dowry, molestation, eve-teasing and rape.

According to the figures compiled by the state police headquarters here, 6,186 cases of atrocities against women were registered across Bihar in 2008.

Out of these, 1041 incidents related to rape, 1494 kidnapping, 1233 murder for dowry, 2230 atrocities perpetrated for dowry, and 188 of eve-teasing and molestation.

A comparative study of the figures available suggested that there were rise in incidents in 2008 compared to the correponding period previous year.

While a total of 1012 cases were registered for kidnap of women in 2007, the number went up to 1494 in 2008.

Similarly, there was marginal increase in number of incidents related to dowry death from 1226 in 2007 to 1233 in 2008, the figures revealed.

In 2007, there were 1493 cases of atrocities perpetrated for dowry, but the figure rose to 2230 in 2008.

Cases relating to eve-teasing and molestation shot up to 188 during 2008, 20 more than those recorded between January and December the previous year.

There were 5017 incidents related to kidnapping of women in the past five years.

Out of these cases, 756 occurred in 2004, 756 in 2005, 662 in 2006, 1012 in 2007 and 1494 in 2008.

The NDA led by Nitish Kumar came to power in Bihar in November 2005 after the Rabri Devi regime.

After it stormed to power, the chief minister initiated a number of measures for ensuring women's empowerment, the first being reserving 50 per cent of the posts for them in the panchayati raj institutions and local bodies.

Though women were a benefitted because of this initiative, the rise in incidents of atrocities against them remained an area of concern for the state. link