Increasing Rape Cases Ignite Protests in India

The recent brutal rape case of a five-year-old girl in New Delhi sparked a louder call for justice in India.

Two suspects have been taken in for the case. According to police reports, the girl was kidnapped and raped repeatedly for over 48 hours. It was not until three days later that she was found in a semiconscious state.

Following the incident, protests calling for fair treatment of women have been taking place outside police headquarters in Delhi.

According to executive director of Plan India, an organization aimed at helping underprivileged children, Bhagyashri Dengle, awareness and sensitization have not improved in India.

After the rape incident of the student in a moving bus that raised global concern and public scrutiny, authorities vowed to increase the number of women working in police stations to address the increasing number of cases involving maltreatment of women.

According to Poonam Muttreja, executive director of an organization that works on women’s rights, the people’s mindset on rape and women maltreatment still hasn’t changed, so with police and political behavior.

Dengle said the problems faced by India regarding unjust treatment of women are “deep-rooted” in the cultural aspect, thus “it cannot be changed overnight”.

Sources: bbc.co.uk, edition.cnn.com