A disturbing trend: Misuse of laws meant to protect women

HARYANA has for years battled an unenviable reputation for crimes against women. But the recent revelation that the state also tops the country in false cases related to such offences presents a grim paradox. According to police data, nearly 45 per cent of complaints of crimes against women in Haryana are found to be false, with Gurugram recording over 40 per cent of rape cases between 2020 and 2024 being cancelled after investigation. These numbers should alarm not only law-enforcing agencies but also civil society. When fabricated complaints enter the system, they do more than waste police time; they weaken the credibility of genuine survivors who already struggle to prove their case in a system stacked against them. The misuse of legal provisions for personal revenge, financial extortion or blackmail — as in the recent Gurugram case involving a lawyer-led gang — erodes public trust in the justice process.

However, the answer does not lie in disbelieving women or discouraging them from reporting violence. Every complaint must be treated seriously, but investigations must be swift, professional and evidence-based. Equally important is penalising those who misuse the law with deliberate intent. The protection of women’s rights and the integrity of justice are not competing goals; they depend on each other.

The larger concern is societal: why are gender relations in Haryana so volatile that both violence and vendetta thrive? Education, awareness and gender sensitivity remain weak links. True empowerment will come not from the weaponisation of laws but from a culture that values fairness, equality and mutual respect. False accusations harm not only the accused but the cause itself. Justice for women can never come at the cost of truth or trust.