More women working has increased their vulnerability: Tirath

NEW DELHI - There has been a rise in the number of rape cases in the country, Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath said Monday, adding that the greater participation of women in the workforce has increased their vulnerability.

“Patriarchal mindsets, objectification of women and societal tolerance of violence against women are some of the possible reasons for such crimes. The increased participation of women in the workforce, greater mobility and varied working hours have increased the vulnerability of women,” Tirath said in a written response in the Rajya Sabha Monday.

The minister, quoting figures of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), said that there has been a rise in the number of cases of rape in the country.

As per the data, 19,348 rape cases were registered in 2006, 20,737 in 2007 and 21,467 in 2008 - indicating an increase of 10.9 percent between 2006 and 2008.

In Delhi, an 18-year-old girl was abducted and raped in a moving vehicle by four youths, including a minor, after she protested their lewd remarks in the Sultanpuri area late Saturday.

The incident comes days after a 30-year-old BPO employee was abducted and raped by four men in south Delhi and a 22-year-old woman was abducted and raped by six men in northeast Delhi - triggering a huge outcry over the issue of safety of women in the city.