Crime against Women in India: A Spatio-Temporal Analysis

Abstract

Using the National Crime Record Bureau and National Sample Survey data, this article explores the spatial patterns of different types of crime against women (CAW) in India. To explain these spatial patterns, we use spatial panel data regression techniques that account for spatial dependencies between different CAW and their socio-economic predictors at the NSS-region level. The results show that different types of CAW have different time-consistent spatial clustering of high and low crime zone. Evidence has been found that the prevalence of CAW in a region is influenced by the CAW rate of its neighboring regions. This influence is linked to the spatial diffusion of harmful gender norms that spread across contiguous regions over time. Our results also confirm the importance of various women empowerment-related variables like female literacy rate, sex ratio, and female labor force participation rate in reducing the violence against women. These findings could have significant implications for the policies aiming to reduce CAW.

Keywords:

• Crime against women
• spatial pattern
• India
• spatial panel data regression

Notes

1 As per Section 304B of the ‘Indian Penal Code’, if a woman dies within seven years of her marriage due to bodily harm or burns, or if it is apparent that she suffered cruelty or harassment from her husband or his relatives concerning dowry demands, her death is categorized as a dowry death.