The National Annual Report and Index on Women Safety (NARI) 2025 reports the safety of urban women in India. The report surveys 12,770 women in 31 cities with a national safety rate of 65, but 40 percent believe they are not safe in their own cities. Among the issues mentioned are harassment, confidence in police officers, and differences in safety depending on age, place, and time of the day.
City Rankings
Kohima, Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar lead the list based on higher gender equity, policing and infrastructure. Weak institutional backing and strong patriarchal norms are evident in cities such as Patna, Jaipur, and Delhi that occupy the lowest ratifications. These variations highlight the theme of governance and local culture in defining the security of women.
Harassment Trends
Although the public harassment level was 7% in 2024, it is 14% among women younger than 24 and among students and professionals. The most common harassment is verbal (58%), followed by physical, psychological, economic and sexual harassment.
High-Risk Areas and Timing
Most of the harassment is encountered in neighbourhoods (38%), and in public transport (29%). The lack of good lighting and transport reduces the level of safety at night. Whereas 86% are sure of their safety in learning institutions during the day, they lose hope at night or off campus.
Occupational Health and Safety.
Majority of women (91%) believe their work places to be safe, although there is low awareness of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) policy. More than half (53) do not know whether it has been implemented at all, and the people who know about it report that it is usually effective.
Confidence in Redressal Mechanisms.
There is low confidence in authority. A third of those who report harassment makes formal complaint, half of them are registered and only 22% acted upon, with 75% of women skeptic about the effectiveness of law and police systems and their reinforcement of underreporting.
Expanding the Concept of Safety.
Women safety involves more than just physical protection and includes psychological, financial, and digital safety that influences access to opportunities and dignity. The report presents the concept of safety as a developmental challenge, which must be addressed through combined measures such as city-planning, social consciousness, and institutional changes.
Conclusion
NARI 2025 notes that the safety of women requires multi-dimensional strategies beyond law enforcement, including social approach, infrastructure and efficient mechanisms of accountability.