Nationwide Protests Erupt in India over Persistent High Levels of Sexual Violence

The recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata has triggered widespread protests across India, highlighting ongoing issues of high sexual violence rates. Despite legal reforms following the infamous 2012 gang-rape case, incidents remain frequent. Challenges include inadequate policing, low conviction rates, and judicial hesitancy to impose severe sentences.

The recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata have prompted women across India to take to the streets, expressing their anger over the persistent high levels of sexual violence despite numerous legal reforms and crackdown promises.

In the wake of the 2012 gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old, the government introduced significant changes to the criminal justice system, including increased sentences. However, activists argue that little has changed. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), police recorded up to 25,000 rape cases annually around the time of the 2012 attack, rising to over 30,000 cases per year since then, peaking at nearly 39,000 in 2016. The numbers remained consistently high in 2022 with more than 31,000 reported rapes.

While authorities have intensified penalties, including a minimum 10-year sentence and potential life imprisonment or the death penalty for victims under 12, other legal reforms included expanding the definition of rape, establishing fast-track courts, and reducing the age at which individuals can be tried as adults. Senior criminal lawyer Rebecca M. John cited inconsistent law application and poor policing as factors contributing to the crisis. Conviction rates for rape between 2018-2022 were about 27%-28%, and some judges are reportedly more hesitant to convict with tougher sentences. Major cases since 2013, such as the 2018 and 2019 high-profile rape and murder cases, have kept the issue in the national spotlight.