Source: Mint
Context:
The National Annual Report and Index on Women’s Safety (NARI 2025) has revealed that a significant proportion of women in urban India feel unsafe, highlighting gaps between lived experiences and official crime data.
About NARI 2025 Report:
- A survey-based index covering 31 cities across all states.
- Based on responses from 12,770 women.
- Goes beyond official NCRB data to capture unreported harassment, perceptions of safety, and lived experiences.
Key Findings:
- Overall Perception:
- 40% of urban women feel “unsafe” or “not so safe” in their own cities.
- 60% reported feeling safe, largely during the day in schools and colleges (86%).
- Safety perception declines sharply after dark in public transport, neighbourhood streets, and recreational spaces.
- City Rankings:
- Safest Cities: Mumbai, Kohima, Vishakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar.
- Least Safe Cities: Kolkata, Delhi, Ranchi, Srinagar, Faridabad, Patna, Jaipur.
- Harassment & Reporting:
- Only 1 in 3 women report harassment incidents.
- 2 in 3 cases go unreported, leading to official NCRB crime data underestimating real harassment levels.
Broader Impact:
- Women’s safety is not just a law-and-order issue, but also affects:
- Education (mobility to schools/colleges)
- Employment opportunities
- Health and psychological well-being
- Digital and financial inclusion
Institutional & Social Measures:
- Positive steps: women helplines, CCTV networks, higher women’s police force participation, and female bus drivers.
- But societal attitudes and community responsibility remain equally crucial.
