Guwahati, Feb 15 (IANS): The northeastern States have recorded a sharp rise in incidents of crime against women, the Women Power Connect (WPC) said on Tuesday.
Ranjana Kumari, the WPC president, said women were traditionally held in high esteem in northeastern societies.
Unfortunately the situation has changed and incidents of crime against women has been rising, she said.
"What is more worrying is the fact that sex selective abortions are on the rise in the northeast, a term quite unheard of till a few years back," she said.
Ranjana Kumari was here to address a workshop on "Strategizing Advocacy for Effective Implementation of Women Friendly Laws" organized by Impulse NGO Network, a known anti-trafficking NGO working in the region.
"While poor economic conditions and increasing unemployment remained key factors, another factor that has played a major role for the worsening statistics is the abuse of drugs and alcohol among the young," she said.
Ranjana Kumari is also the director of Centre for Social Research, a New Delhi based organization.
Chairperson of Impulse NGO Network Hasina Kharbiah said there was an increase of about 40 percent in incidents of crime rate against women in 2011 in the whole of the northeastern states compared to 2010.
