Analysing The Effectiveness Of The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2018 In Addressing Crimes Against Women In India

Abstract

Crime against Women in India is a much talked about topic, with the incidences of crimes such as rape, Acid Attacks, Domestic violence, etc. against women, it becomes important to evaluate the impact or effectiveness of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2018 which is directed towards addressing these crimes and thus know if this Act was successfully implemented or it still has its way to go. This research paper presents the current scenario of Crime against women in India, using data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and evaluates the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 2018’s performance in addressing and preventing crimes against women in India. This act is a further modification to the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1973, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act of 2012.

This paper concludes with elaborative recommendations to implement policies more effectively on ground level and further suggests the modifications which can be brought in the law.

Introduction 

Women have a special place in Indian society as India’s culture and traditions propagate treating every woman as a goddess. The Hindu scriptures that are followed by many Indians also teach the same but in the past few decades, crimes against women in India increased exponentially. Due to social, political, and economic developments, the number and type of crimes against women increased leading to portrayal of a wrong image of Indian society. Social problems such as dowry deaths, child marriage, domestic violence, rape, sexual harassment, and exploitation of women workers are on the rise in various parts of India. Humiliation, rape, kidnapping, molestation, dowry death, torture, wife-beating, and other atrocities have become more common over time.

Although women can be victims of any generic crime, such as “murder,” “robbery,” or “cheating,” only crimes intended exclusively at women are classified as “crimes against women.” 

Various new laws have been introduced, as well as revisions to existing laws, in order to properly deal with these offences. All offences are divided into two categories under the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.P.C.)

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