SRINAGAR: At a time when crimes against women continue to pose a national challenge, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have reported relatively low and stabilising figures over the past five years, according to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development’s response in the Rajya Sabha on July 23.
Between 2018 and 2022, the number of crimes against women in Jammu and Kashmir fluctuated slightly but remained below the national average. In 2018, 3,437 cases were registered. That number dipped to 3,069 in 2019, rose to 3,405 in 2020, and peaked at 3,937 in 2021 before falling to 3,716 in 2022. Ladakh, which began reporting separately after the bifurcation of the former state, registered 9 cases in 2020, 18 in 2021, and 15 in 2022. By comparison, larger states like Uttar Pradesh recorded over 65,000 cases in 2022 alone.
The reply from Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, suggested that a combination of stronger legal mechanisms, government-supported helplines, and heightened public awareness have contributed to improved reporting and response systems in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The ministry also acknowledged that increased numbers in many regions are partly due to better reporting, aided by initiatives such as the 181 Women Helpline, ERSS-112 emergency system, Zero FIR, and e-FIR facilities.
Importantly, while the absolute number of reported cases provides only a partial picture of women’s safety, the consistency of figures from Jammu and Kashmir and the low volume from Ladakh indicate that public safety initiatives in these Union Territories may be yielding results. Police and public order remain state subjects, and both UT administrations have introduced dedicated Women Help Desks and outreach through the One Stop Centre (OSC) scheme under Mission Shakti.
Legal reforms under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and related criminal codes, implemented nationwide from July 1, 2024, were also cited as a step toward greater accountability. These include clearer definitions and stricter punishments for crimes such as gang rape, exploitation of trafficked women, and sexual offences disguised under false promises of marriage or employment.
Besides, the SHe-Box portal, now fully functional, enables women across India to file and track complaints of workplace harassment, with integration at both Central and State levels. The portal is linked to designated nodal officers and internal committees across ministries and private firms, ensuring that grievances are processed in a timely manner.
The Ministry highlighted that more than 11.19 lakh women have been assisted through 843 One Stop Centres across India up to March 2025, with additional measures like Women Help Desks in over 13,700 police stations, including those in J&K and Ladakh.
In the wider national context, India registered 4.45 lakh crimes against women in 2022, an increase from 4.28 lakh in 2021, and 3.71 lakh in 2020. The most frequent crimes across the country included cruelty by husband or relatives, kidnapping and abduction, and sexual assault.
Jammu and Kashmir has also benefited from increased outreach programmes run by the National Commission for Women, local women’s commissions, and awareness drives supported by the Women and Child Development Department. The newly launched Mission Shakti Portal is being positioned as a unified interface to monitor rescue, protection, and rehabilitation efforts for women in distress.
