CPPR Research Exposes Severe Institutional Failures in Addressing Crimes Against Women
A comprehensive research report from the Kochi-headquartered Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) has revealed alarming systemic failures in India's response to crimes against women. The study documents a persistent and significant gap between case registration and actual justice delivery, with institutional apathy contributing directly to increasing violence against women across multiple states.
Five-State Analysis Reveals Widespread Systemic Issues
The CPPR study focused on five diverse Indian states: Kerala, Telangana, Goa, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand. Researchers examined how existing institutional systems function from a survivor-centric perspective, evaluating their effectiveness in supporting Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality. The findings paint a troubling picture of systemic inadequacies at multiple levels.
Secondary victimization emerges as a critical concern, with survivors frequently experiencing additional trauma when interacting with institutional systems. The report identifies patriarchal attitudes and insufficient gender-sensitive training among police personnel, healthcare professionals, and judicial actors as major factors discouraging reporting and weakening survivor confidence in formal mechanisms.
Funding Constraints and Administrative Delays Cripple Response Systems
The research, conducted by senior researchers Anna Maria Francis and Nissi Solomon, uncovered severe financial and administrative shortcomings. Across 35 major projects funded under the Nirbhaya Fund, only 33% of sanctioned funds were actually utilized. This funding gap has resulted in operational backlogs, critical infrastructure deficiencies, and delays in staff payments that further weaken institutional responses to violence against women.
States such as Telangana, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Goa currently maintain alarmingly low numbers of shelter and aftercare facilities under Mission Shakti. According to official data analyzed in the study, Telangana has only five Ujjwala homes, Jharkhand has two, while Rajasthan and Goa have just one each. This severe shortage of support infrastructure represents a fundamental failure in providing safe havens for survivors.
Local Bodies Marginalized Despite Community Proximity
One of the key barriers identified in reintegration efforts is the lack of funding and professional support for survivor counseling. Researcher Anna Maria Francis noted that despite the existence of community groups like Kudumbashree, the current institutional framework assigns minimal roles to local bodies in addressing violence against women, despite their crucial proximity to affected communities.
"These self-help groups remain fragmented and non-standardized," Francis explained. She further highlighted that even established mechanisms like One Stop Centres (OSCs) in Kerala suffer from poor awareness and accessibility, limiting their effectiveness despite their intended purpose as comprehensive support systems.
Kerala Statistics Reveal Disturbing Patterns of Underreporting
The National Family Health Survey-5 report data incorporated in the CPPR study reveals particularly concerning patterns in Kerala. According to the data, 10% of married women aged 18-49 experienced physical violence committed by their husbands, 2% experienced sexual violence, and 7% experienced various forms of emotional violence. However, only 24% of these women sought any form of help, indicating massive underreporting and systemic barriers to accessing support.
The CPPR report concludes that without substantial reforms addressing funding gaps, institutional training, community engagement, and infrastructure development, India's justice system will continue to fail women survivors. The researchers emphasize that achieving gender equality requires not just policy changes but fundamental shifts in institutional culture and resource allocation.
