Stating that Goa is fully safe and secure for women, the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday told the House he will hold a meeting to review the poor conviction rate in the cases related to crime against women. He also said that for the current year, of the total number of crimes reported in the State, 7.45 per cent are women related cases.
Replying to the calling attention motion moved by the opposition, Sawant also clarified that Goa is not a “hot-spot” for human trafficking as the rescues are of the victims who trafficked into the coastal State. “Goa is doing far better than the rest of India in human trafficking cases,” he said.
GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai and Congress MLA Carlos Ferreira moved a calling attention bringing to the notice of the House the lack of Women’s Police Station in each taluka even though crimes against women including those related to social media are on the rise.
Government must take steps to set up women's police station
They demanded that the government should take steps to set up a women’s police station in every taluka to deal with such crimes against women and provide them speedy justice while protecting their identity and dignity.
The Chief Minister said that the government will set up a women’s police station in Mapusa and a full-ledged facility in Margao for now. “We will also see that each police station has two lady PSIs and constables,” he said.
“Goa state is 100 per cent safe and secure for women. And being a tourist destination, we have taken various measures to ensure women safety,” Sawant added.
According to the reply, the crime rate against women was 9.76 per cent in 2019 and dropped to 5.59 per cent in 2020. However, in 2021, State recorded 8.91 per cent cases against women with marginal drop to 7.97 per cent in 2022.
Charge sheet in crime against women filed in 60 days
“Goa is the number one State in the country where a charge sheet in crime against women cases is filed within 60 days,” Sawant said, adding that he will hold a meeting with the top officials to review the poor conviction rate.
“We are not going to tolerate any crime against women,” he added further.
The Chief Minister also said that the state will adopt a new technology wherein all the tourists arriving in the State would be verified and provided security.
Earlier speaking, MLA Vijai Sardesai pointed out that the conviction rate in cases related to women is very low. He also said that as per the National Crime Bureau Records, Goa tops the list in human trafficking.
