A woman victim of crime is panelized for being a victim of outrageous crimes like rape with a lonesome & rebuff life without any social support & recognition. The plethora of promise made by the government to ensure safety from crime against women in Madhya Pradesh proved flawed as the state still clutched 4th position in regards to India’s occurrence of total crime against women.

The ‘Home’, so called safety nest, too cannot be called safer for women & girls anymore in the state revealed the recent National Crime Records Bureau Report, 2007 by Ministry of Home Affairs, India. Despite the alleged acceptance of women being equal to men, and a glut of laws and human rights guarantees, the women & girls in Madhya Pradesh everyday undergoes the most frightening circumstances of crime incidences even at home.

Crime against women is a reality that has assumed huge proportions, especially the crimes or violence by family members, relatives or close friends, which are usually thought-out to be defenders for women. Not only does violence against women exist, in our vocabulary of progress it has taken on insidious forms like rape, dowry deaths & cruelty by husband/relatives. Worse, a woman becomes victim of a crime somewhere in India every three minutes, with majority of them becoming targets of their husbands, in-laws & close family members.

Despite of persistent pledge made by state to shield every women & girl against all sorts of crime, Madhya Pradesh has reported the highest number of Rape cases (3,010) accounting for 14.5% of total such cases reported in the country. During 2007, the total 15370 number of crime incidences have been reported against women in Madhya Pradesh, which constitutes 8.3% of total crime against women recorded throughout the nation. Also, Indore is at third place accounting for 74 numbers of rape cases.

Offenders were known to the rape victims in as many as 92.5% cases. Analysis of Madhya Pradesh data points out the facts that parents/close family members were involved in 1.6 % (49 out of 3010) cases, relatives were involved in 5.9% cases, neighbours were involved in 46.41% cases. Such offence by dear once compels women for timid behaviour even in its own nutshell.

In spite of enforcement of Protection of Women Domestic Violence Act, 2005, the cases of torture & cruelty by husband & relative are further rampant in the state. Homes are now far from being safe havens for women. Madhya Pradesh accounts for 4.33% (3294 out of 75930) incidences. The percentage share regarding cruelty by husband/relatives of two big cities of the state Bhopal & Indore stands to be 1.1% & 2.2% respectively. Social pressures & economic dependence has been found to be the central reason for women’s silence. Without the ability to sustain themselves economically, women are forced to stay in abusive relationships and are not able to be free from violence. Crime against women is both a consequence and a cause of gender inequality.

Dowry menace is spreading its dimension and women are treated as commodities for satisfying the yearning & whim of groom’s family. Dowry marriages & dowry deaths are very serious issues relating to the status of women in society & their rights. The state holds third position in cases of dowry deaths with 742 incidences of deaths due to dowry out of 8093 dowry deaths in the country. The state capital city Bhopal shares 3.1% of total dowry deaths in 35 mega cities of India.

Among the cities of Madhya Pradesh, the commercial city Indore, Bhopal and Jabalpur were included in the list of 35 mega cities selected for crime analysis with 15th, 19th & 20th position as per percentage share in crime against women.

Such crime not only causes physical injury, it also undermines the social, economic, psychological, spiritual and emotional well being of the victim, her family and the society as a whole. These include injuries, gynecological problems, temporary or permanent disabilities, sexually transmitted diseases, depression and suicide, amongst others. High levels of anxiety resulting through these traumas can even result in self-destructive behaviors. Children and adolescents who have been sexually abused can suffer a range of psychological and behavioral problems, from mild to severe, in both the short and long term.

Crime against women is a highly stigmatized issue as society often blames women for the violence that they experience. Victims such heinous crimes are neglected by the families insulted by the society and ignored by the Government. Victims seldom found sympathy after the trauma. They had to go from pillar to post to seek out deserved assistance. Various social pressures almost always discourage the victim from filing a complaint. Victim's is often reminded of the social repercussions. She is accused of having immoral & bad character, responsible for that crime.

All these show the bleak veracity of the status of protection of ‘Grah Laxmi’ & efforts made the state to ensure safe & healthy environment to every women & girls in the State.