Five women get raped a day in Kerala

Alappuzha: Despite stringent laws and widespread awareness campaigns, women remain increasingly unsafe in the state.

According to the data on the Kerala Police website, rape cases increased from 500 in 2007 to 2015 in 2018, the highest in a decade.  At least five women get raped in the state every day, while the national average is 56.3.

In the neighbouring Tamil Nadu, it's 18.3. The national capital reported 2,043 cases last year, a slight decrease from the previous year's 2,059.

The second most-populated Thiruvananthapuram tops among districts with 721 cases followed by Ernakulam (216) and the most populated Malappuram (187).

The number of molestation cases is also dismal, with 4589 cases registered last year. Most molestation cases were in Thiruvananthapuram (721), followed by Ernakulam (568) and Malappuram (404).

The women's rights activists see the rising complaints as a positive sign, as most cases used to get swept under the rug.

"The women earlier were reluctant to complain. But now the time has changed, and they are more empowered. However, many cases still go unreported," says J. Devika, academician and rights activist.

“Registration of cases is just the initial step. A speedy and professional investigation will help ensure the conviction of the guilty. We need to register complaints immediately after the occurrence of the crime.”