HYDERABAD: Around five minor girls were raped and three sexually assaulted every day in Telangana in 2022, according to the ‘Status Report on Key Concerns of the Girl Child — Telangana and Andhra Pradesh’ released by Child Rights and You (CRY).
While in Andhra Pradesh, three minor girls were raped and three sexually assaulted or harassed each day on average, the report has said.
Raising concerns about safety of minor girls, the report stated: “In Telangana during 2022, eight minor girls were murdered and out of that two were also raped, as per the National Crime Records Bureau(NCRB) report. Over 1,750 minor girls were reported as victims of rape (under Pocso Act) and nearly 1,000 minor girls were reported as victims of sexual assault or harassment, while seven were reported as victims of rape attempt.”
Most of these crimes registered under Pocso Act were committed by people known to the girl child in both the states. Also, on an average, nearly six girls went missing every day in Telangana and at least one of them remained untraced in 2022. In AP, the corresponding figure for the year was eight and one.
The report also highlighted that although enrolment of girls in primary schools in Telangana was 94%, it dropped to 60% in secondary school and further fell to to 42% at the higher secondary level.
In Andhra Pradesh, the school enrolment was worse than Telangana, with only 80% girls being enrolled in primary schools. This number went down to 49% in secondary school and just 37% in higher secondary school.
“This means that more than 50% girls in secondary level and over 60% in higher secondary were out of school,” said B Chennaiah, CRY senior manager, releasing the report.
He added: “The status on health and nutrition front shows similar worrying trends, as the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21) data revealed that in Telangana over 65% of women aged between 15 and 19 years were estimated to be anaemic. According to the same report, among women aged 20-24 years, an estimated 23.5% were married before they reached 18 years of age, and were not physically and emotionally prepared to bear the burden of marriage and early motherhood.”
(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
While in Andhra Pradesh, three minor girls were raped and three sexually assaulted or harassed each day on average, the report has said.
Raising concerns about safety of minor girls, the report stated: “In Telangana during 2022, eight minor girls were murdered and out of that two were also raped, as per the National Crime Records Bureau(NCRB) report. Over 1,750 minor girls were reported as victims of rape (under Pocso Act) and nearly 1,000 minor girls were reported as victims of sexual assault or harassment, while seven were reported as victims of rape attempt.”
Most of these crimes registered under Pocso Act were committed by people known to the girl child in both the states. Also, on an average, nearly six girls went missing every day in Telangana and at least one of them remained untraced in 2022. In AP, the corresponding figure for the year was eight and one.
The report also highlighted that although enrolment of girls in primary schools in Telangana was 94%, it dropped to 60% in secondary school and further fell to to 42% at the higher secondary level.
In Andhra Pradesh, the school enrolment was worse than Telangana, with only 80% girls being enrolled in primary schools. This number went down to 49% in secondary school and just 37% in higher secondary school.
“This means that more than 50% girls in secondary level and over 60% in higher secondary were out of school,” said B Chennaiah, CRY senior manager, releasing the report.
He added: “The status on health and nutrition front shows similar worrying trends, as the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21) data revealed that in Telangana over 65% of women aged between 15 and 19 years were estimated to be anaemic. According to the same report, among women aged 20-24 years, an estimated 23.5% were married before they reached 18 years of age, and were not physically and emotionally prepared to bear the burden of marriage and early motherhood.”
(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)