Other Than Outrage: Addressing the Surge in Crimes Against Women

Gist A recent spate of horrific sexual assaults in the national capital has exposed the severe inadequacy of India's public safety infrastructure, 14 years after the watershed Nirbhaya case. Despite the introduction of stringent laws and dedicated funding mechanisms, national crime data reveals an alarming 80% surge in crimes against women. This highlights the systemic failure of state machinery to implement effective preventive policing and underscores the urgent need to address the root causes of patriarchal violence, rather than falling back on regressive measures that restrict women's mobility. Background Following the 2012 Nirbhaya case , the government introduced sweeping legal reforms and established the non-lapsable Nirbhaya Fund to finance initiatives aimed at enhancing women's safety across the country. Under this umbrella, multiple administrative and infrastructure frameworks were launched, including the Safe City Project , Mission Shakti , One-Stop Centres , and the Emergency Response Support System . While these schemes were designed to provide emergency intervention, legal aid, and secure public spaces, their on-ground impact remains severely compromised by poor utilization of funds, unmonitored infrastructure, and delayed judicial processes. Key…