Assam State Commission for Women(ASCW) receives 642 cases in past three and half years

GUWAHATI: The Assam State Commission for Women (ASCW) has received as many as 642 cases of cruelty and violence upon women over the last three and half years.

According to a statement of the ASCW that showed the number of complaints received from the year 2015 till May, 2018, there were 76 cases of atrocities, 17 cases of bigamy, 22 cases of maintenance, 7 cases of dowry, 10 cases of rape, 4 cases of kidnapping, 6 cases of sexual harassment, 17 cases related to land, besides 39 miscellaneous cases in 2015. Hence, altogether 198 complaints were received in the year 2015 alone by the ASCW.

In 2016, the ASCW received 165 different cases of cruelty and violence upon women that included 72 cases of atrocity, 16 cases of bigamy, 9 cases of maintenance, 8 cases of dowry, 6 cases of rape, 2 cases of kidnapping, 8 cases of sexual harassment, 5 cases related to land, and 39 miscellaneous cases.

Moreover, in 2017, the ASCW received altogether 192 different cases that included 72 cases of atrocities, 15 cases of bigamy, 14 cases of maintenance, 13 cases of dowry, 5 cases of rape, 5 cases of kidnapping, 8 cases of sexual harassment, 8 cases related to land, and 52 miscellaneous cases, besides 27 suo-moto cases.

On the other hand, there were 38 cases of atrocities, 5 cases of bigamy, 10 cases of maintenance, 5 cases of dowry, 1 case of sexual harassment, 2 cases related to land, and 26 miscellaneous cases, besides 11 suo-moto cases in the year 2018.

Notably, this figure shows only the cases filed at the commission, Guwahati. In different districts, sub-divisions and blocks, there are women cells and the cases taken up by them are not reflected in this figure. Hence, it is speculated that, the cases received and registered a across the state would be much higher.