𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

…𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒂 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒑 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝒔𝒖𝒃𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒆, 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒔𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒘

By Kezang Choden

The Royal Bhutan Police (RBP), through its Department of Crime and Operations, has released the official crime statistics for 2023 and 2024, offering an in-depth look at the country’s criminal scene. While there are signs of progress, particularly in certain regions, substance abuse continues to dominate the crime charts, alongside concerning increases in domestic violence and suicides. These trends reflect broader societal challenges and ongoing efforts by law enforcement to tackle the root causes of crime and support victims.

Substance abuse remains the most prevalent crime, with 1,571 cases reported in 2023, making up the largest portion of the country’s criminal activity. Although the number of substance abuse cases decreased slightly in 2024 to 1,512, it still highlights the persistent issue of drug addiction and trafficking, which remains a significant burden on Bhutanese society. In addition to drug-related crimes, the top five offences in 2023 included battery (491 cases), domestic violence (415 cases), illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and cannabis (322 cases), and larceny (287 cases). The trend continued into 2024, with battery cases rising to 519, and domestic violence cases climbing to 428. Larceny and drug trafficking saw declines, with larceny dropping to 259 cases and narcotics-related offences decreasing to 243.

The rise in domestic violence is particularly concerning, as it reflects broader social issues that law enforcement continues to confront. In 2024, the number of domestic violence cases surpassed 600, highlighting the importance of both law enforcement intervention and public education. Police authorities are ramping up efforts to combat domestic violence through awareness campaigns and collaboration with community leaders and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

While the national trend indicates an overall decrease in crime, the statistics vary by region. For instance, Paro Dzongkhag in Division 1 reported an increase in total crime cases, rising from 158 in 2023 to 202 in 2024. However, narcotic-related cases in Paro decreased from 121 to 98. Punakha Dzongkhag, part of Division 2, saw a decrease in total crime cases from 119 to 81, but narcotics cases edged up slightly from 29 to 31. In Phuentsholing, Division 3, crime cases plummeted from 400 in 2023 to 263 in 2024, alongside a significant drop in drug-related offences, from 556 to 413. Similarly, Samtse Dzongkhag Division 4 also saw a slight reduction in crime cases from 131 to 125, while narcotics cases fell from 122 to 91.

Contrastingly, Gelephu Dzongkhag in Division 5 saw an alarming increase in both total crime and narcotics-related cases. Crime cases surged from 164 in 2023 to 236 in 2024, and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) offences rose sharply from 145 to 218. This upward trend in drug trafficking and crime in Gelephu is an issue of growing concern for local authorities. On the other hand, regions such as Samdrup Jongkhar Division 8 and Tsirang Division 6 recorded decreases in both crime and narcotics offences, signaling positive developments in these areas.

Nationally, the total number of crime cases decreased from 2,352 in 2023 to 2,153 in 2024, reflecting a drop of 199 cases. This decrease signifies some progress in combating crime overall. Similarly, the number of narcotic-related cases fell from 1,975 in 2023 to 1,814 in 2024, marking a reduction of 161 cases. These trends are encouraging, but they also highlight that substantial challenges remain, particularly with substance abuse, which continues to represent a significant portion of criminal activity in Bhutan.

Another alarming trend is the rising number of cases related to women and children. Domestic violence cases increased from 588 in 2023 to 640 in 2024. Despite these troubling figures, experts view the rise as an indication of growing awareness and the effectiveness of sensitization programs that have encouraged more victims to come forward. These programs have been instrumental in changing societal attitudes toward domestic violence and have empowered individuals to speak out and seek help.

Suicide cases also continued their concerning upward trend. In 2023, 29 suicides were reported, and this figure rose to 35 in 2024. The number of attempted suicides also increased, from 12 cases in 2023 to 15 in 2024. Among individuals under 18, the number of suicides increased, from 12 cases in 2023 (7 males and 5 females) to 13 in 2024 (10 males and 3 females). Among adults, the figures remained high, with 65 male suicides and 19 female suicides in 2023, increasing slightly to 66 male suicides and 24 female suicides in 2024. This rise in suicide rates is a grave concern, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced mental health services and suicide prevention programs.

The issue of children in conflict with the law also continues to be a significant concern. In 2023, there were 60 such cases, which rose to 67 in 2024. This increase suggests that more children are engaging in criminal activities, potentially as a result of socio-economic challenges, lack of proper guidance, and exposure to domestic violence or substance abuse.

To combat these issues, the RBP has emphasized the success of its public sensitization programs, which have raised awareness about domestic violence, mental health, and other critical social issues. These programs have been effective in encouraging individuals to report domestic violence, leading to an increase in cases being officially recorded. The RBP, in collaboration with NGOs, community leaders, and other stakeholders, has outlined plans to expand these programs to schools, colleges, and dzongkhags across the country in the coming year. This expansion aims to further empower young people to recognize and report instances of abuse, while also fostering a culture of accountability and mutual support in communities.

The rise in reported domestic violence cases, although alarming, is seen as a positive shift in public consciousness. It signifies that more victims are now able to break the silence surrounding abuse and come forward to seek help. Experts believe that these awareness campaigns have been key in giving people the tools and courage they need to report abuse and protect themselves. The RBP has also stressed the importance of creating safe spaces for victims and ensuring that support systems are in place to help those affected by domestic violence.

While the country has seen some progress in reducing certain types of crime, the rising rates of substance abuse, domestic violence, and suicides present significant challenges. The RBP, alongside government agencies, community leaders, and NGOs, remains committed to tackling these issues through continued education, law enforcement, and social support initiatives. Through these combined efforts, Bhutan hopes to build a safer and more supportive environment for all its citizens, especially its vulnerable populations.