Goa police have proposed setting up the state’s second women police station in South Goa, a move intended to give survivors of rape, sexual assault and other women-related offences access to a dedicated investigation facility closer to home. The proposal will now be examined by the state government.
At present, Goa has one women police station, located in Panaji. Survivors from South Goa who require its services may have to travel to the state capital, while regular police stations across the state also register crimes against women and children. Unlike those stations, the women police station is specifically established to investigate cases involving women.
Goa police have proposed operating the South Goa station initially from temporary premises. It would subsequently be shifted to the newly constructed building intended for Fatorda police station, according to the proposal. The police have sought around 30 staff members for the facility.
A senior government official said the home department would ask Goa police to make a detailed presentation on the proposal before it is reviewed. Chief minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the home portfolio, said cases ending in acquittal and issues identified in related judgments were being analysed to improve investigations and raise the conviction rate.
Police statistics cited in the report show that 922 women between the ages of five and 70 were raped or sexually assaulted in Goa between 2021 and 2025. The figure represents an average of about four women a week over the five-year period. Police said Goa’s rate was 5.2% for rape cases and 8.1% for cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act when compared with the national average.
According to the police, the higher reporting and registration of offences in Goa reflect greater public awareness, easier access to police mechanisms and increased public confidence in approaching law-enforcement agencies. Police also said that a majority of cases registered under rape-related provisions involved circumstances in which the accused and survivor knew each other, alleged rape on the promise of marriage, disputes arising from consensual relationships and elopement-related matters involving minors covered by legal provisions.
The proposed station comes amid concerns over the deployment of women personnel for investigations. Goa Police has around 670 women personnel, including 462 constables, 59 head constables, 88 assistant sub-inspectors, 40 police sub-inspectors and 11 police inspectors. A senior police officer said many women personnel had opted for side branches, affecting the availability of staff for investigation work.
The government’s next step is a detailed presentation by Goa Police on the proposed station. A decision on the facility, its temporary premises and the staffing requirement will follow the review by the home department.
