Crimes against girl children continue to rise in Maharashtra, with the number of rape victims below 18 years increasing by nearly 48% in five years. The State recorded 4,666 such victims in 2023, compared to 3,161 in 2019. The figures point to a worrying trend and raise questions about the effectiveness of existing child protection measures. According to the Crime in Maharashtra report released by Crime Investigation Department (CID), the number of girl child rape victims increased by 9.58% in 2023 compared to 4,258 in 2022. This means 408 more children became victims in a single year.

 

 

The rise becomes more concerning when the five-year figures are compared. The number of victims stood at 2,800 in 2020 and increased to 3,480 in 2021. It crossed 4,000 in 2022 and reached 4,666 in 2023. The increase of 1,505 victims between 2019 and 2023 represents a 47.61% rise. In other words, the number of reported victims has grown by almost half in five years. The report also points out that girl children below 18 years accounted for 51.37% of the total rape victims in 2023. This means more than half of the victims were children. The problem is concentrated in some urban and rural police jurisdictions. Mumbai City reported the highest number of cases at 593, followed by Thane City (255), Pune City (210), Pune Rural (199), Mira-Bhayandar-Vasai-Virar (193) and Solapur Rural (176). Together, these six police units accounted for 35.35% of all reported rape cases involving girl children in State. Mumbai City alone accounted for a significant share.

 

The figures indicate that child protection measures need greater attention in both urban and rural areas. The high numbers in major cities call for closer monitoring of vulnerable localities and better coordination between police, schools and child protection agencies. Retired police officers point to the need for a closer examination of the reasons behind the increase. The role of people known to the victims, lack of awareness about safe and unsafe behaviour, delayed reporting and inadequate monitoring of vulnerable children need to be examined through case-level data rather than assumptions. They stress that action should not be limited to registering offences. Police need to strengthen preventive measures, improve coordination with schools and local bodies, and ensure that children and their families can report abuse without fear.