Bhubaneswar: In a thumbs down to Odia society as a whole, and Odisha police in general, the big shocker to come to the fore is that streets, lanes, parks, and pathways are no longer safe for the women of the state. The NCRB 2024 report, released recently, brings to glare the stark reality gripping the State: the very arteries of our public life have become the primary sites of gender-based violence.

​The numbers are not just statistics; they are a warning of an impending breakdown in social order. In 2024, sexual harassment cases in Odisha climbed to 1,082, up from 1,007 the previous year. But the true alarm bell lies in the location of these crimes. 549 cases—more than half of the state's total—occurred in public places or pathways.

​The Pathway Peril: A Comparative Shame

​While the police argue they cannot be at every corner, a comparison with other states suggests a deeper systemic failure in Odisha.

​The Gap: Odisha’s crime rate stands at 4.7, nearly five times higher than Gujarat, which recorded a mere 0.9 crime rate with 323 total cases.

​The Predators: The state has become a playground for those who disregard the law, with 365 cases of stalking and 111 cases of voyeurism (ranking Odisha 4th in the country).

​The Verbal Assault: Another 382 cases involved verbal harassment aimed at outraging a woman’s modesty in public view.

​This isn't just about harassment; it’s about an escalating climate of force. With 1,268 rapes reported and a massive 7,299 cases involving criminal force to outrage modesty (a rate of 31.5), the message to women is clear: the outdoors are not safe.

​Beyond Policing: A Society in Disregard

​The "shocker" isn't just that these crimes happen, but that they happen in the open. Public pathways are supposed to be shared, observed spaces. The fact that half of these crimes occur in "lanes and parks" points to a society that has lost its sense of collective responsibility and a populace that no longer fears the consequences of the law.

​The Roadmap to Reclamation

​If Odisha is to shed its status as one of the top five states for sexual harassment, the response must be as public as the crimes themselves:

​Gender-Sensitive Urban Planning: Reclaiming "dark zones" through mandatory high-intensity lighting and the elimination of blind spots in public parks.

​Immediate Judicial Deterrence: The harassment at public places need to be pursued in fast track courts, specifically for crimes committed in public view, ensuring convictions are swift and publicized to restore fear of the law.

​Community Watch Integration: Empowering local vendors and residents as "Active Bystanders" through government-led training, ensuring that a woman in a park is never truly alone.

​Digital Fortification: Using AI-enabled surveillance in public thoroughfares to detect patterns of stalking and voyeurism before they escalate into physical assault.

​The NCRB report is a mirror held up to Odisha. Currently, that reflection shows a society where the simple act of a women walking down a street has become an act of courage.

Also Read: NCRB 2024 Odisha Report: Why Odisha 2nd Rank in Obscene Cyber Crimes Should Ring Alarm Bells