A police report shows the number of crimes against women and children on the rise in the city and district of Khulna from January to August of this year.
The report was presented before the monthly meeting of the District Law and Order Committee yesterday.
It revealed that 415 women and children fell victim to rape, trafficking, abduction and other types of crimes over the last eight months. Of them, 54 women and children were raped, 20 trafficked and eight abducted.
The month-wise crime data is 43 in January, 28 in February, 50 in March, 58 in April, 38 in May, 69 in June, 72 in July and 55 in August.
All 17 police stations, including those in the city, have the records of all these crimes.
In 2013, 476 women and children were subjected to violence. Of them, 75 were raped. In 2012, 543 women and children fell prey to violence. Of them, 80 were raped.
In 2011, 378 women and children fell victim to violence. Of them, 55 were raped. In 2010, 321 women and children were subjected to violence. Of them 65 were raped.
In 2009, 288 women and children fell victim to violence. Of them, 45 were raped.
Manabadhikar Bastobayon Sangstha’s Khulna chapter Coordinator Advocate Mominul Islam however said he number of crimes against women and children was much more than those stated in the police report.
The victims and their relatives do not go to police, considering it disgraceful, being apprehensive of not getting justice and being again subjected by the criminals to reprisals, he explained.
He added that the crimes were increasing in the city and district because of pressure from influential quarters linked to criminals, procrastination of case or trial proceedings and lack of awareness and so on.
Special Public Prosecutor at Khulna Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Alokananda Das said: “These crimes were resulting from the things such as social unrest, decline of social values, drugs addiction.”
Blaming police for the getaway of rapists from punishment, he said: “Police often press final charges before court, damaging the cases merit in rape cases and so criminals get away.”
