Home > India, Media, Politics, Social Trends > Rape Metrics: A Global Comparison

Rape Metrics: A Global Comparison

December 25, 2012 Leave a comment Go to comments

I am all for a ban on tinted windows in all vehicles, if any one can guarantee even a minor reduction in rape cases.

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Assuming parity in definition, India on a population that is 400% larger has a rape incident ratio which are 24% of US. | Graphic source - hindustantimes.com; Hindustan Times e-Paper dated 2012-12-23 accessed at 17-29-59.

Assuming parity in definition, India on a population that is 400% larger has a rape incident ratio which are 24% of US. | Graphic source – hindustantimes.com; Hindustan Times e-Paper dated 2012-12-23 accessed at 17-29-59.

rotesters and activistas have semi-successfully projected the Delhi gang-rape case as representative of India, Indian society and Indian governance – as detailed in the previous post.

Fog & Noise

In the din of protests and clamour, on the Delhi gang-rape case, facts and data have become less than important.

There is wide availability of data in public domain – and across countries.

Cross country comparisons will quickly dispel claims that these protesters and activistas are making.

Indian rape metrics are skewed by the definition - where consenting teenage marriage is defined as rape. Per Capita rape cases across the world | Graphic - timesofindia.com on Dec 21, 2012, 02.47AM IST

Indian rape metrics are skewed by the definition – where consenting teenage marriage is defined as rape. Per Capita rape cases across the world | Graphic – timesofindia.com on Dec 21, 2012, 02.47AM IST

The five major factors are: –

  1. Definition
  2. Incidence
  3. Investigation
  4. Prosecution
  5. Conviction

Definition

Under a liberal-progressive overload, Indian laws that cover rape have been overwhelmed by illogical laws.

In the 70s and the 80s, under World Bank, IMF guidance, and the pressure from AID-India consortium of Western nations to curb population ‘explosion’, child marriage were ‘discouraged’.

To further stigmatize child marriage, sex between consenting female below 18, is now classified as rape.

If a girl below 18 has sex, in marriage or otherwise, in the eyes of Indian law, is rape.

Under-age marriages and attempts to marry have inflated rape statistics in India.

Similar inflation in rape statistics has occurred in Sweden for instance – with an accompanying reduction in conviction.

Break up of rape incidents across India | Graphic - thehindu.com in NEW DELHI, October 28, 2011

Break up of rape incidents across India | Graphic – thehindu.com in NEW DELHI, October 28, 2011

Incidence

The National Crime Records Bureau has estimated more than 90% of ‘rape’ cases involve neighbours, relatives, and known people.

Many of these cases are prima facie, cases of opportunistic withdrawal of consent.

Long-term marital relationships in India are forged under community and parental supervision and intervention.

In cases, parental and societal pressure is enough for a female to withdraw consent – opening doors to criminal registration and prosecution.

At times, the withdrawal of consent is also a means of gaining financial benefit.

Police, Police – Everywhere

With investigation is the question of prevention.

Empty demands have been made for better police patrolling, CCTV cameras, more supervision and vigilance. As can be seen, India has low or lower rape-incidents than most of the world.

Do these activistas want to turn India into a Police State? Into a society riven by gender conflict!

Do they want replace a concerned citizenry with a domineering police force? Instead of citizen vigilance, these activistas want us to believe that the police can do a better job.

Graphic courtesy - intoday.in

Graphic courtesy – intoday.in

There are increasing demands for CCTV installations. The West and China are now practically surveillance societies – where, with facial recognition software, police officials will be able keep most of the people under surveillance.

Is that what these protesters and activistas want? Have all these CCTV cameras in the West stopped rape in those countries? Are rape incidents lesser in those surveillance societies?

As the data in the graphic shows, this is neither true – nor logical. If a few rapes are committed in moving vehicles, will we stop vehicles from moving? Or men from moving? Or women from moving around!

Demands for ban on tinted glass windows in Delhi is another demand. Delhi which faces searing heat for 5 months in a summer – needs tinted glasses. Do we want millions of Delhi commuters to steam in higher temperatures to gain psychological comfort?

Forget about elimination of rape – or even a major reduction.

I am all for a ban on tinted windows in all vehicles, if any one can guarantee even a minor reduction in rape cases.

Conviction levels in rape cases varies between 20% to 50% globally. Few exceptions apart. Rape convictions in India are at a higher ratio than general criminal convictions which are at 17%(TBC).. Defines as the number of convictions as a percentage of the total number of completed prosecutions that year. | Graphic & caption source - thehindu.com

Conviction levels in rape cases varies between 20% to 50% globally. Few exceptions apart. Rape convictions in India are at a higher ratio than general criminal convictions which are at 17%(TBC).. Defines as the number of convictions as a percentage of the total number of completed prosecutions that year. | Graphic & caption source – thehindu.com

Exaggerate! Overheat

This exaggeration in reaction can be seen in the recent media coverage of rape in Haryana.

Attempting to tar traditional khap panchayats, the media ran a villification campaign on rape in Haryana – whereas there were other states in India with higher occurrence – and lower conviction ratios.

Many of these protests have been organized by NGOs – many funded by sources that are suspect.

Why did the US pay attention to one rape in New Delhi.

Related Articles

2ndkook posts on Delhi gang-rape case

Categories: India, Media, Politics, Social Trends Tags: , , , ,
  1. ramanan50
    December 25, 2012 at 11:52 am

    Reblogged this on Ramani's blog and commented:
    Good Counterpoint.
    Though one may not agree with all the points like the one which hints that the removal of films in car windows, other points are well taken
    .With such statistics , attention could be focused on the promotion of Family values.
    People must not, in my opinion, take this information to say all is Right with us nor should we be indifferent to incidences of Rape.
    The definition of Rape needs reexamination as it is loaded in favor of women

  2. Shaas Ruz
    December 27, 2012 at 11:50 am

    What actually happened at India Gate

    I WITNESS – The good people of DELHI
    by Sangeeta Das on Monday, 24 December 2012 at 13:13

    I am appalled at the lop-sided relay of events and incomplete images being telecast by some of the NEWS channels on TV, regarding the incident that happened at India Gate yesterday at around 5:30 PM.

    I was there. We were all on the other side of India Gate towards the Dhyan Chand Stadium.

    I think I need to paint the correct picture for the nation. Except for CNN IBN and NEWS X, most other channels are not showing the peaceful gathering. Thus it gives out the wrong message to the nation, to the politicians, to other women that there was violence.

    Please pass on this note to as many people as you can and post it at as many places.

    THERE WAS NO VIOLENCE NO PROVOCATION…THE POLICE ATTACKED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I have been through section 144 earlier. At least there should have been one warning issued to us to get up and leave, peacefully, before they started hitting us.

    Ms.Naina Kapur, of VISHKHA GUIDELINES fame, was there with me. Ms.Smita Bharti of SAAKSHI, an NGO working on SEXUAL HARASSMENT on women, was there. Ms.Nafisa Ali was standing behind us, Mr.Arvind Kejriwal was sitting just two rows in front of me, Mr.Arvind Gaur of ASMITA THEATER GROUP was there asking all the people to sit down and listen to the talks.

    There were about 200-250 girls and equal or more number of men of all ages. There were young girls, some children, families and some elderly people along with hoards of photographers, journalists and reporters.

    WE WERE ALL SITTING ON THE ROAD PEACEFULLY and listening to the painful account, of the mother of ‘KIRAN NEGI’, a 3 yr old who has been brutally raped and disfigured and killed, by her attackers. Even the sloganeering had stopped.

    Many young and old men of Delhi were standing around us in a 3-4 layer human chain to protect us from any hooligans or nasty elements. It was like a CHAKRAVYUH.

    Members of the ASMITA THEATER GROUP, including Mr.Gaur, were constantly walking around the circle. Young boys and girls of his team were repeatedly requesting and talking to people to not resort to violence, not to panic or run or throw stones, not to damage public property, AND not to hurt or abuse the female protestors.

    There were many volunteers distributing biscuits and water to every protestor.

    We were talking to the ‘AAM JANATA’ of Delhi on how to tackle the violence on women and children starting from ourselves, our homes and communities.

    WE WERE SIMPLY TALKING.

    I had just finished my packet of biscuit when the police, hundreds of them from DELHI POLICE and RAF, charged at us from behind, WITHOUT ANY WARNING.

    They first attacked the men from behind, breaking their CHAKRAVYUH. I stood up to see what the commotion was about, and immediately fell as most girls didn’t get enough time to stand up. I hugged Smitaji as we fell on each other and there was a stampede over us.

    Some of the men from the circle ran for their lives, but most of them ran towards us and hugged us and fell on us and took the initial blows of the LATHI CHARGE.

    I couldn’t see anything; I just heard the two cracks of a SPLIT BAMBOO STICK on my back, butt and thighs. Then I heard the police screaming, HARAMZADIYON, RANDIYON, and then I saw a boot kicking my knees and shin.

    They hit Smitaji on her lower-back and spine. The boys of ASMITA, and some more men pulled us all up and all of them formed protection girdles around the girls to push us out of the range of the water cannons and charging men in KHAKI AND BLUE.

    Visibility was poor due to fog and tear gas; many girls were hit; even when we were running away and saying, “Ham jaa rahen hain, hame mat mariye”,…. they were hitting the boys rampantly, constantly spitting abuses on the girls. Many women reporters were also hit and chased, their vans attacked, equipments broken. Some girls still managed to pull a few lathis and gave it back to the men. I don’t know what happened to the children in the group and how the aunties in saris managed to run. I just hope they are all well.

    There was not a single ambulance in sight; the entire C- Hexagon of India Gate was empty, barring the police. We walked for almost 45 min, as there was no way out from the outer circle. Finally we managed to duck behind press vans and escaped via Shahjahan Road.

    Do I look like a hooligan? Was I armed? Was I provoking the police or creating a nuisance? Was I resorting to violence, by sitting there and listening to, or sharing our personal grievances of Sexual harassment and assault? You judge for yourself.

    Agreed, that in such gatherings, some nasty elements do infiltrate and create a ruckus, but the police didn’t seem to have the basic sensibility to differentiate between hooligans and some young girls, children, and elderly people.

    If the Delhi Police and RAF lack the basic cognizance to recognize the good from bad, what protection can we expect from them? Instead I thank the men of Delhi, the boys of Delhi, who helped all the girls to escape from the wrath of THE POLICE.

    I request the people who were present there, to paint the correct picture, so that Mr. Manmohan Singh, Mr. Shinde and others would get the correct picture of what happened on the ground.

    I request the PM and the Home Minister to believe that “I, the woman of India,” am not violent or the ‘Shame of the nation’… that we have to be ashamed that the world is watching. I was not offensive. But I will definitely stand up again to defend myself, my mother, my daughter and my kind. Let the world watch.

    https://www.facebook.com/notes/sangeeta-das/i-witness-the-good-people-of-delhi/10151383785584595
    Wg Cdr CK Sharma
    98 114 24933/ 93 122 19302
    Please do NOT Vote for the present Government in the next General Elections,
    unless they ensure full welfare of Ex Servicemen!

  3. admin
    December 27, 2012 at 3:48 pm

  4. admin
    January 1, 2013 at 7:03 pm
    Updated 4 minutes ago
    1. Ritwik Banerjee
      Thank you for providing these statistics. It is shocking how many Indians feel proud of the India-bashing they do day in and day out, all the while comparing my country to the very societies where women are being mistreated in much more demonic ways, and much more often (some of these nations are reflected in your article in quite some detail).
      Ritwik Banerjee

      Tue, Jan 01 2013 10:37:56

  5. pannalal (@pannalal5)
    January 2, 2013 at 5:24 am

    very informative and revealing statistics. Recent HUE AND CRY IS JUSTIFIED IN THE FIGHT AGAINST BEASTY PERVERTS AND OFFENDERS. CONCERN OF GOVT. WAS INCONSISTENT AND BIZARREE.INITIALLY PMO/UPA SUPREMO,WERE MOST CONFUSED.LATER ON TOEING THE LINE OF PEOPLE’S VOICE,THINGS SETTLED DOWN WITH THE BEST JUDGED STEPS TAKEN BY RULER GROUP.AFTER READING THE AFOREMENTIONED FIGURES,IT BOILS DOWN THAT FOR GENDER OFFENCES AND FAMILY DISHARMONY LEVEL OFFENCES,A SEPARATE COURT BE SET UP IN EACH STATE AT DISTRICTLEVELS,WITH TIME BOUND ,SAY MAXIMUM 6MONTHS TIME LIMIT FOR INDISPOSAL.. IF CONSIDERED,A JURY SYSTEM COMPRISING SENIOR PERSONS,OF SOCIAL SCIENTISTS/MEDICAL /LEGAL/PUBLICLIFE BE CONSIDERED. THOUGH ABSOLUTE NUMBER IN REFERENCE TO POPULATION ARE NOT ALARMING,STILL IT NEEDS STREAMLINING RIGHT FROM PRESENT. MOMENT

  6. admin
    January 8, 2013 at 1:45 am

    https://twitter.com/SBhattacharyya2/status/287778611887501314

  7. Anuraag Sanghi
    April 23, 2013 at 11:26 am

    https://twitter.com/Flyfiddlesticks/status/326661127444500480

    This seems more than labelling.

    1. Yesterday, the Govt., was left alone, twisting in the wind.

    Sitaram Yechury, Sushma Swaraj from opposite sides of the political spectrum agreed on one thing. We need more police, more courts, more cameras, more intrusion. By this time, as a 2ndlook reader you would know that India in global affairs is now an exception.

    This cannot be allowed to continue. This NGO-Media onslaught, aided and abetted by the political opposition is pushing India into the arms of a police State.

    2. We have seen how even Hollywood gets involved in the long-term political objectives of the US Govt.

    So, this hysteria about the low rape cases, seems highly managed.

  8. admin
    April 27, 2014 at 8:40 pm
  1. December 27, 2012 at 5:19 am
    Important lesson for India from Sweden, the World's Rape Capital (30 times more rapes a year than India)! |

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