Though Jammu and Kashmir is perceived to be safe for women. However, the incidence of heinous crimes against women reflects a different story. In last 3 years due to dowry and other related cases, 15 women lost their lives in Valley while police booked 41 persons for demanding dowry.Police sources informed CNS that due to domestic violence, 5 women died in 2014 while the figure rose to 6 in 2015 and first couple of months of the current year, four such cases have already been reported. The official figures reveal that from 2014 to 2016, 312 females were forced to commit suicide and 361 accused have been booked by police across Kashmir Valley.Despite an upward trend in literacy rate, the crime against women is on rise. The ugly situation can be gauged from this fact that from past 7 years, police registered cases against five thousand accused allegedly involved in domestic violence and other related cases. The graph shows an upward trend in the incidents relating to domestic violence. “There are so many such incidents which go unnoticed. Majority of the women don’t report to police and try to settle the issues amicably.
Usually, only those cases of serious nature are reported,” said a top police official.Recently, a shocking incident of ‘domestic violence’ came to fore in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district that engulfed the life of a mother and her little baby. Police confirmed that the women had been tied with rope, tortured and thrown into the River Jehlum. On the eve of Eid, in 2015, a woman was allegedly set on fire in Khanyar area of Srinagar city. Besides, some females became the acid victims. In the last month of the year 2014, a 24 years old female law student was attacked with acid in Nowshehra area of the Srinagar city.While divulging information about the crime against women, an official from Jammu Kashmir Police Department said that 3960 cases relating to violence against women were reported from 7 years in the state in which 5150 accused were booked. Alone in Jammu district 638 such cases have been reported followed by Srinagar city 387, Doda 335, Udhampur 148, Poonch 135, Baramulla 105, Anantnag 79, Kishtwar 76, Kupwara 64, Ramban 58, Samba 51, Reasi 45,Rajouri 40, Ganderbal 32, Budgam 31, Pulwama 31, Bandipora 24, Shopian 24, Kulgam 18, Kargil 4, and a solitary case of domestic violence against woman was reported from Leh district of Ladakh Division of Jammu and Kashmir.
Head Kashmir University Sociology faculty, Professor Pirzada Muhammad Amin believes that unrest is one of the important factors that have contributed to the violence against women in the State. “Women suffered immensely due to crackdowns, raids, arrests and other activities during the unrest in Valley.” He says that growth of materialistic societies is also a major factor that has affected women. “Our society has changed. We want women to do a government job and at the same time want her to serve us at home. Though our religion has given her all the rights but due to lack of facilities and knowledge, women are becoming prey to violence. Though everyone including government talks about women rights and facilities, but in not a single government department including Civil Secretariat, we find a ‘Mother Nursing Centre’ or ‘Child Care Centre while in European countries such centres are found everywhere.“Government organizes seminars, symposiums and functions on International Women’s Day and make tall claims with regard to the welfare initiatives, but on ground nothing happens.” (CNS)