A new report released by the National Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday has sounded the alarm on women’s safety in India’s major cities. The National Annual Report & Index on Women’s Safety (NARI 2025) ranked Delhi, Faridabad, and Srinagar among the least safe cities for women, joining Ranchi, Kolkata, and Jaipur with the lowest safety scores. In stark contrast, cities in the northeast and coastal regions were deemed the safest, with Kohima, Vishakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar, and Mumbai topping the list.
The findings are based on a comprehensive survey of 12,770 women conducted by data science agency Pvalue Analytics. The report highlights a significant disparity between official crime statistics and the realities faced by women on a daily basis. A concerning 40 per cent of the women surveyed described their cities as either “unsafe” or “not so safe,” reflecting a pervasive sense of insecurity.
The study also revealed a critical lack of trust in law enforcement. Only one in four women believed that proper action would be taken if they reported an unsafe incident. This trust deficit is further illustrated by the low reporting rate: just one-third of women who experienced an incident actually reported it. Even then, official action was taken in a mere 16 per cent of those reported cases, underscoring systemic barriers to justice.
Harassment emerged as a widespread issue, with 7 per cent of women reporting they had experienced it in 2024. This figure is starkly higher than the 0.07 per cent recorded in the National Crime Records Bureau’s 2022 data, indicating a vast “dark figure” of unreported crimes. The data shows that younger women, specifically those aged between 18 and 24, are most vulnerable. The report’s researchers emphasized that the study’s value lies in uncovering these lived experiences that official statistics often miss.
Furthermore, the report exposed significant gaps in workplace safety. Over half of the women surveyed were unsure if their organization had a policy for the prevention of sexual harassment. This finding points to a critical lack of awareness and a need for greater accountability from corporations and businesses. At the report’s launch, NCW Chairperson Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar stated that the findings should serve as a wake-up call, guiding governments, corporations, and communities in taking focused, data-driven steps to create a truly safe environment for every woman.