As we hurtle towards the end of 2013, it is rewind time. The unfortunate andu00a0disappointing feature that pockmarked nearly every month of this year was the number of rapes and molestation cases. Today, news reports focus on the increasing numbers of cases of sexual harassment against women, so much so that it has become a defining topic this year, having its most high-decibel moment in the Tarun Tejpal case. While some people take heart in the fact that women are now more inclined to speak out against such crimes and the so-called societal stigma is shifting to the molester rather than the victim, the fact remains that numbers tell a sorry tale.

While the emphasis on sexual harassment will undoubtedly create awareness and hopefully snuff out this crime to a huge extent, violence against women continues unabated and has even spiked to a huge extent. While sexual violence is one aspect, women are being attacked on all sides.