Bhubaneswar, Aug. 17: The capital seems to have become an unsafe place for women. Statistics provided by the state women’s commission show that crime against women is on the rise here.

The figures show that women are being harassed on the streets and in their work places. They are not even safe at home.

On August 3, an engineering student, who was alone in her relative’s house behind Ram Mandir, was attacked by a person who entered the house in the guise of an electrician. Such cases are becoming frequent.

According to officials of the women’s commission, while the commission registered 198 cases against women in the capital in 2009, the number of cases increased to 217 in 2010. A total of 125 such cases were registered in the first six months of 2011.

Sources said that cases against women are registered under categories, such as dowry torture and death, rape, kidnapping, and harassment. Cases pertaining to death and service related crimes have also been registered. “Crimes against women have only become sophisticated. Anti-socials are using new methods to attack women,” chairperson of state women’s commission Jyoti Panigrahi said.

On June 10, an 18-year-old girl was gangraped by two youths inside a vehicle. The girl was given a lift by one of the accused whom she knew.

Women’s rights activists also believe that crime against women has gone up.

Activist Tapasi Praharaj said there was a 24 per cent increase in crimes against women in the state.

“Sex crimes, cyber crime and acid attacks have gone up in the city,” said Praharaj, adding that the reason was the portrayal of women as commodities.

Activists believe that the increase in such crimes took place because laws are not being followed. “Police act only when there is pressure. The judicial process is lengthy. These are some of the reasons why crimes against women are on the rise,” said an activist.

Advocate Siddarth Das said that such crimes had increased primarily because of poor policing.

The city police, however, refused to agree that crimes against women had increased in the city.

“Whatever cases have come to our notice are very few,” said a senior police officer