Are women safest in Nagaland?: Accuracy of State’s low crime data against women scrutinised at IDEVAW event

Morung Express News
Kohima | November 26

Nagaland is often perceived as the ‘safest place for women’ in India based on national crime data but government officials opined that such perception may be misleading, pointing to a rise in reported crimes against women and the prevalence of unreported cases.

Sharing data sourced from the Women Police Station (PS), Kohima, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Kohima Rhosietho Nguori noted that there is an increased number of crimes against women “and we have reasons to believe that Nagaland is definitely still not safe for women.”

Likewise, Advisor to Chief Minister and Chairman IDAN Abu Metha noted that while Nagaland is seen as one of the safest states for women nationally, the statistics may not reflect ground reality. 

“Those statistics are lying with us. Those statistics are not accurate and vague,” he added. 

Both shared these concerns during the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW) and launching of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence event held at SIRD Auditorium, Kohima on November 25. The Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) orgsnied the event under the theme, ‘Towards Beijing +30: Unite to End Violence Against Women And Girls.”

According to data shared by ADC Nguori, the Women PS Kohima recorded 10 cases of crimes against women in 2023, and the number had already risen to 12 by November this year. The crimes included kidnapping, rape, attempt to rape and murder, molestation, sexual assault, domestic violence and cruelty to girl child. (See table)

Despite the efforts through various programmes and initiatives, such crimes continue to prevail, he noted. 

While acknowledging that there can be no single solution and the challenges are huge, the ADC expressed optimism that crimes against women can be checked through collective action.

He also highlighted some programmes undertaken under BBBP (Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao) and POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace) Act, and emphasised that the District Administration is willing to partner with any stakeholders to make Nagaland a safe place for females. 

“We may be required to fight several battles in our quest for liberation of women and girls from all forms of violence. But let us all take on the challenges earnestly and not give up,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Metha noted that women and girls face discrimination and abuse, in places where they are supposed to feel safest- at home, educational institutions, workplace and public spaces, with most abuses inflicted by the people they trust most.

‘Here in Nagaland, time and again, we speak of our rich culture, heritage and traditions or our women as being resilient. We hold pride in their strength of character and we say the backbone of our society is our women. While all that and more is true, we also have to address the underbelly and what is pushed under the carpet. The hard truth has to be told..,’ asserted Metha.

Every day, women face domestic violence, abuse at home, psychological torture, systematic discrimination and inequality with the rest, he highlighted, adding that such violence destroys families, impacts communities, brings down nations, creates barriers to live a life of respect and dignity and bars women from getting opportunities.

Further underscoring that behind every statistic, there’s a wife, a daughter, a girl and a friend but the pain and the tears are not seen in public, he added that traditional taboos and the social stigma prevent them from addressing that pain or seeking justice.

It is time to change this ‘narrative,” Metha asserted, adding that ‘we’ have to become the voice of the victims and the survivors.

To this end, he called for active engagement with law enforcement and traditional institutions to ensure victims are protected, their rights upheld, while perpetrators held accountable and punished.

NSCW Chairperson, Nginyeih Konyak in her keynote address informed that the 16 days of activism will culminate on December 10 coinciding with the International Human Rights Day.

She urged everyone to take a stand against violence towards women and girls by participating in local activities, advocating for survivors, speaking out against harmful norms, and engaging in campaigns and initiatives aimed at strengthening laws, improving enforcement, and securing more resources.

Meanwhile, at a similar event held in Chümoukedima, Secretary of Social Welfare, Martha R Ritse said that despite annual commemorations, significant progress remains elusive to the issue of violence against women in Nagaland. 

Citing Women Helpline Nagaland and One Stop Centres data, she informed that domestic violence emerged is the most reported violence reported in Nagaland, followed cyber violence. She added that 350 cases of domestic violence were recorded last year as per reports.

Neiko Akami, Member Secretary, NSLSA (Nagaland State Legal Service Authority) briefly highlighted on the some key provisions available while Apila Sangtam, Advocate, Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench and Legal Consultant of NSCW presented in detail the legal provisions for crime against women and girls.

Meanwhile, the latest National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) ‘Crime in India – 2022’ informed that ‘Crime against Women’ under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and ‘Special and Local Laws (SLL),’ decreased from 54 in 2021 to 49 in 2022 in Nagaland.