Crimes Against Children in India Surge 12-Fold in Two Decades, Justice System Struggles

• Crimes against children in India increased 12-fold from 14,423 cases in 2004 to 1.77 lakh in 2023, averaging nearly 500 cases daily.
• Post-Covid-19, cases jumped almost 40% between 2020 and 2023, with an average addition of 135 cases daily by 2023.
• Over half of the cases between 2014-2023 were reported from six states: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, and Bihar.
• Assam and Bihar showed alarming trends, with Assam seeing a seven-fold jump and Bihar a five-fold jump in cases between 2014 and 2023.
• Trial pendency for crimes against children nearly doubled from 3.06 lakh in 2018 to 5.90 lakh in 2023, with a low conviction rate of 29%.

Why It Matters: India faces a severe challenge with a 12-fold surge in child crime cases and a struggling justice system.