The National Crime Records Bureau (#NCRB) published the annual Crime in India Report 2018 recently. #DALITWOMENFIGHT's @elite_dalit and @_senpai_i explains what it says about crime and #atrocities against #DalitWomen and children. #TalkCaste #SCSTPOA 
As per the NCRB data 2018, the total number of crimes and atrocities reported against the Scheduled Caste is 42793. In these 42793 cases, the rate of filing of chargesheet is 81.3%, while the pendency rate is 27.5%. #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
The high number of chargesheets being filed also negates the false notion that most of the cases filed are “fake” & out of “revenge”. It’s extremely important to remember that these are only those cases of atrocities which are reported.The actual number is much higher. #TalkCaste
Despite the statistics reiterating this fact for years, the Supreme Court in 2018 passed an order which diluted the “stringent provisions” of the SC/ST POA citing “misuse” of the Act. This order made the already difficult process of filing complaint under the Act even worse.
However, to restore the diluted provisions, the SC/ST POA Amendment Act 2018 was introduced and its validity was upheld recently by the Supreme Court on Feb 10, 2020. #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
The Amended Act says that neither is a preliminary inquiry required before lodging an FIR under the Act nor is approval needed from higher authorities for arrest. #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
Despite this, how effective is the SC/ST POA for #DalitWomen and children when read with the NCRB Crime in India report 2018? #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
The total number of cases of disrobing #Dalit women in the year 2018 was 246. Out of these #UttarPradesh reports 97 cases, #MadhyaPradesh 11, #Rajasthan 19, and #Haryana 21. #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
The total number of cases of rape against #DalitWomen in the year 2018 was 2086. Out of these, #UttarPradesh reports 438 cases, #Bihar 71, #MadhyaPradesh 305, #Rajasthan 352, and #Haryana 99. #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
The number of cases of rape against minor Dalit children in the year 2018 was 871. Out of these, #UttarPradesh reports 88 cases, #Bihar 8, #MadhyaPradesh 169, #Rajasthan 33, and #Haryana 72. #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
These might be the official numbers of cases of rape against Dalit women and children, but the real numbers are estimated to be much higher. #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
@dalitactivist and @Pooja27184680, our human rights defenders from UP and Haryana respectively, say that only 3-10% of cases which need to get registered under the SC/ST POA are actually registered under it by the Police authorities. #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
For ensuring speedy trial of cases under the SC/ST POA, 157 exclusive Special Courts have also been set up by twelve states. Despite this, the pendency rate for cases in courts related to the Scheduled Caste rests at 93.5%. #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
The process of reporting a crime against women is extremely difficult & draining, both mentally and physically. More so when it is committed against Dalit women, because of the double marginalization they face, and the discrimination that still persists in the society. #TalkCaste
Even with the presence of a strong Act like the SC/ST POA, Dalit women face numerous barriers and challenges when it comes to reporting a crime. The situation would have been a lot worse if the Act did not exist. #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
While the Act provides strong protection & assistance to Dalit women, including mandatory financial assistance for relief & rehabilitation, & travel assistance for the victims to attend court hearing & legal proceedings, awareness & implementation of it is extremely weak. #NCRB
Apart from a few activist groups working on the ground, Dalit women do not receive any assistance or support to fight the atrocities committed against them, a major reason why the true numbers of these crimes do not make it to the government statistic. #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste
The callous attitude of the mainstream media towards crime and atrocities against Dalit women and children and their under reportage of the same does not help the case either. You can know more about such cases through our series #TheForgottenStories.
What we need today is a stricter implementation of the SC/ST Act, without which the Act is reduced to nothing but a sham initiated by a compromised Criminal Justice system. #DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
You can our twitter conversation about the relevance of the SC//ST POA for Dalit women and children here –
#DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
#DALITWOMENFIGHT #TalkCaste #NCRB #SCSTPOA
