While overall criminal cases registered with the police increased by about seven percent, crimes related to women and children dropped by 24 percent in the first eight months of 2024 compared to the previous year.
KP Sharma
While overall criminal cases registered with the police increased by about seven percent, crimes related to women and children dropped by 24 percent in the first eight months of 2024 compared to the previous year.
The Crime and Operations Division of the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) recorded 2,912 criminal cases in 2023 and 3,117 in 2024, recording an increase of 205 cases.
Crimes against women and children dropped from 841 in 2023 to 640 in 2024, a decline of 201 cases, attributed to various initiatives by law enforcement and other agencies working to address the issue.
Among the cases involving women and children, domestic violence is the most reported crime, followed by sexual violence. Both types of crimes have seen a sharp drop in 2024.
According to police records, domestic violence cases fell to 462 in 2024 from 588 in 2023. Of these, 91 cases were charge-sheeted, 71 are still under investigation or pending, and 300 were withdrawn for various reasons.
Many of these cases were found to have no serious underlying reasons, with alcohol abuse, extramarital affairs, and social media issues as common factors.
The RBP also recorded 87 cases of sexual violence in 2024, a decrease from 140 cases the previous year. Of these, 51 were rape cases, and 35 involved sexual abuse. Most victims were females under 18, followed by adult women, including four male victims under 18 years.
In terms of occupation, the majority of victims were students, followed by unemployed individuals, home-makers, and farmers.
As per the police statistics, most crimes were committed by individuals known to the victims, such as boyfriends, husbands, relatives, or family members.
In addition, crimes related to children, including cases of children in conflict with the law, suicide, attempted suicide, and human trafficking, also dropped in 2024.
The deputy chief of police for Crime and Operations, Colonel Passang Dorji, attributed the decline in these crimes to strengthened policing services and better coordination within the force.
He also credited efforts by various agencies and stakeholders, particularly through awareness and sensitisation programmes aimed at curbing violence against women and children, with helping to foster a safer society for all.
