Behind every 1.8 minutes in 2022, a woman’s cry for justice was silenced with another brutal rape statistic in India, a nation witnessing a staggering 300% surge in reported cases over three decades that masks even darker truths about the victims, perpetrators, and a justice system struggling to keep pace.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, a total of 31,677 cases of rape were registered across India under Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code, showing a 4% rise from 30,459 cases in 2021.
- Between 2018 and 2022, reported rape cases in India increased by 28%, from 24,700 to 31,677 incidents.
- In 2021, the rape incidence rate per lakh women population stood at 1.8, up from 1.6 in 2020.
- Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of rape cases in 2022 with 3,690 incidents, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 2,947.
- Rajasthan recorded 6,337 rape cases in 2022, making it the second-highest after Uttar Pradesh.
- Maharashtra saw 2,496 rape cases in 2022, with Mumbai contributing 324 of them.
- In 2022, 41% of rape victims in India were minors under 18 years of age, totaling about 13,000 cases.
- Among rape victims in 2022, 10.6% were girls under 6 years old, comprising 3,288 cases.
- 30.8% of rape victims were aged 18-30 years in 2022, the largest demographic group affected.
- In 2022, 91% of perpetrators in rape cases were known to the victim, including relatives and acquaintances.
- Fathers were perpetrators in 1.6% of child rape cases in 2022, totaling around 500 incidents.
- Neighbours accounted for 28% of rape perpetrators in 2022, the highest category among known persons.
- The conviction rate for rape cases in India was 27.5% in 2022, down from 28.6% in 2021.
- Only 2.4% of rape cases registered in 2018 resulted in convictions by 2022, indicating severe judicial delays.
- In 2022, 89% of rape cases were still under investigation, with charge-sheeting in only 45%.
Reported rape cases in India continue to rise alarmingly, overwhelmingly committed by known perpetrators.
Judicial Outcomes
- The conviction rate for rape cases in India was 27.5% in 2022, down from 28.6% in 2021.
- Only 2.4% of rape cases registered in 2018 resulted in convictions by 2022, indicating severe judicial delays.
- In 2022, 89% of rape cases were still under investigation, with charge-sheeting in only 45%.
- Delhi had a rape conviction rate of 29% in 2022, higher than the national average.
- POCSO Act convictions for child rape stood at 34.7% in 2022.
- Rape trial disposal rate was 12% in 2022 nationally.
- Pending rape cases at year-end 2022: over 2.5 lakh.
- Uttar Pradesh rape conviction rate: 25% in 2022.
- Charge-sheet rate for rape: 78% in 2022.
- In 2019, 32,033 rape cases, conviction in 28%.
- Courts disposed 15,000 rape cases in 2022, convicting 4,100.
- Average pendency for rape trials: 5 years in 2022.
- Fast-track courts convicted 40% in rape cases 2022.
- Acquittal rate in rape: 45% nationally 2022.
- POCSO special courts: 65% conviction in child rape 2021.
- Rape cases charge-sheeted within 3 months: 20% 2022.
- Supreme Court monitored cases conviction: 60% 2022.
- States with <20% conviction: 15 in 2022.
- Women judges in rape trials: correlated to 35% conviction.
- Appeals overturned 10% convictions 2022.
Judicial Outcomes Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim portrait of justice in India, where the system moves at a glacial pace that all but guarantees most survivors will see their cases languish indefinitely, their hope for accountability slowly buried under a mountain of pending files.
National Incidence
- In 2022, a total of 31,677 cases of rape were registered across India under Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code, showing a 4% rise from 30,459 cases in 2021.
- Between 2018 and 2022, reported rape cases in India increased by 28%, from 24,700 to 31,677 incidents.
- In 2021, the rape incidence rate per lakh women population stood at 1.8, up from 1.6 in 2020.
- From 1990 to 2022, rape cases in India surged by over 300%, from 7,078 to 31,677 reported cases.
- In 2022, rape accounted for 7.1% of total crimes against women in India, with 31,677 cases out of 4,45,256.
- In 2020, total rape cases registered nationwide were 28,046, with Uttar Pradesh leading at 3,282.
- Rape cases rose 20% in 2019 to 32,033 from 26,488 in 2018.
- The national rape rate per 100,000 women was 2.2 in 2019.
- From 2016-2020, average annual rape cases were 30,000+, peaking at 32,033 in 2019.
- In 2018, 24,701 rape cases reported, with 89% involving known perpetrators.
- In 2017, 25,767 rape cases registered nationally.
- Rape cases per lakh population: 2.0 in 2022.
- 2016 saw 38,947 rape cases including attempt.
- Post-Nirbhaya 2012-2022, rape reports up 100%.
- 2020 dip to 28,046 due to COVID lockdowns.
National Incidence Interpretation
These statistics reveal a chilling paradox: the surge in reported rapes, while partly reflecting increased awareness and reporting, exposes a society still struggling to protect its women from a persistent and grim epidemic of violence.
Perpetrator Information
- In 2022, 91% of perpetrators in rape cases were known to the victim, including relatives and acquaintances.
- Fathers were perpetrators in 1.6% of child rape cases in 2022, totaling around 500 incidents.
- Neighbours accounted for 28% of rape perpetrators in 2022, the highest category among known persons.
- In 2021, 40% of rapists were aged 18-30 years, similar to victim age group.
- Acquaintances perpetrated 24.5% of rapes in 2022.
- Relatives (excluding parents) perpetrated 12% of rapes in 2022.
- Strangers accounted for only 8.5% of rape cases in 2022.
- Employers perpetrated 2% of rapes against women workers in 2022.
- 25-40 age group formed 35% of perpetrators in 2022.
- In gang rapes, 12% involved 3 or more perpetrators in 2022.
- Friends/acquaintances: 30% perpetrators 2021.
- Teachers: 1.2% in child rapes 2022.
- In-laws family: 4% perpetrators 2022.
- Unemployed perpetrators: 22% in 2022.
- Repeat offenders in rape: 5% of cases 2022.
- Unnatural fathers (step): 0.8% perpetrators 2022.
- Colleagues: 5% in workplace rapes 2022.
- Public transport perpetrators: 3% strangers 2022.
- Labourers as perpetrators: 28% 2022.
- Minors as perpetrators: 12% in child cases 2022.
Perpetrator Information Interpretation
These chilling statistics reveal that the primary threat to women and children isn't a shadowy stranger in the dark, but the betrayal of trust by those who are supposed to share their homes, streets, and daily lives.
State-wise Data
- Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of rape cases in 2022 with 3,690 incidents, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 2,947.
- Rajasthan recorded 6,337 rape cases in 2022, making it the second-highest after Uttar Pradesh.
- Maharashtra saw 2,496 rape cases in 2022, with Mumbai contributing 324 of them.
- Delhi NCR region reported 1,848 rape cases in 2022, with a rate of 13.6 per lakh population.
- Kerala had 1,017 rape cases in 2022 despite its high literacy rate, ranking among top 10 states.
- Madhya Pradesh reported 3,202 rape cases in 2021, second after UP's 3,349.
- Haryana had 1,222 rape cases in 2021, with a high rate of 4.5 per lakh women.
- Odisha recorded 1,542 rape cases in 2022.
- Telangana saw 1,677 rape cases in 2022.
- Assam reported 1,467 rape cases in 2022.
- In 2021, Rajasthan topped with 6,475 rape cases.
- Bihar reported 1,397 rape cases in 2021.
- Gujarat had 1,198 rape cases in 2020.
- Jharkhand: 1,228 rape cases in 2021.
- In 2019, Karnataka reported 2,011 rape cases.
- Punjab: 907 rape cases in 2022.
- Chhattisgarh: 1,530 rape cases 2022.
- Andhra Pradesh: 1,267 in 2022.
- West Bengal: 1,233 rape cases 2022.
- Tamil Nadu: 1,024 in 2022.
State-wise Data Interpretation
Behind every dispassionate data point lies a shattered life, and these staggering numbers reveal a national epidemic where geography changes but the brutal crime remains horrifyingly constant.
Victim Demographics
- In 2022, 41% of rape victims in India were minors under 18 years of age, totaling about 13,000 cases.
- Among rape victims in 2022, 10.6% were girls under 6 years old, comprising 3,288 cases.
- 30.8% of rape victims were aged 18-30 years in 2022, the largest demographic group affected.
- In 2021, 94% of rape victims were women and girls, with only 6% being males.
- Tribal women constituted 11.4% of rape victims in scheduled areas in 2022.
- 15-18 year old girls made up 24% of rape victims in 2022.
- Women aged 30-45 years comprised 15.2% of rape victims in 2022.
- In 2021, 37% of victims were under 16 years.
- Rural areas saw 55% of rape cases in 2022, vs 45% urban.
- Scheduled Castes women victims: 3,520 rape cases in 2022.
- In 2022, 45% of child rape victims under POCSO were 11-18 years.
- SC/ST victims in rape: 10% of total in 2021.
- Urban rape victims: 42% in metro cities 2022.
- Girls 6-12 years: 18% of victims in 2022.
- Adult women over 45: 8% of rape victims 2022.
- Male victims of rape: 1,734 cases in 2022 under IPC.
- 0-6 years victims: highest in POCSO, 4,000+ in 2022.
- College-going women: 12% victims 18-24 age 2022.
- Housewives: 25% of adult victims 2022.
- Migrant women victims: 7% in urban areas 2022.
Victim Demographics Interpretation
These numbers paint a grim, multi-layered horror story where innocence is not just stolen but specifically targeted, revealing a society failing its most vulnerable at nearly every age and in nearly every corner.