India, Oct. 13 -- Latest statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) showed that the total reported cases of crime against women stood at 445,256 in 2022. Disturbingly, if not surprisingly, it included cases of cruelty by husbands or relatives at 140,019, assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty at 83,344 and kidnapping and abduction at 85,310. Given India's social mores, stigma and lack of awareness, thousands of cases would be unreported. The states topping the list were Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

The challenge is to change feudal or entitled mindsets from the nascent stage. Children, even now, read textbooks, which show women cooking at home and men, the sole breadwinner of the family, going to work....