Gang rape of minor in Delhi sparks mass protests

Hundreds of students protested in Delhi on September 23, demanding greater security for women. The mass action was provoked by a report of the rape of a 17-year-old girl this week in a park by three men posing as police officers.

The march took place in the streets near the crime scene. Protesters, most of them girls, held up signs saying “Our body belongs only to us” and shouted slogans.

The attack took place just 2km from Lady Shri Ram College (LSR), one of India’s top women’s educational institutions. On Tuesday, classes in it had to be canceled due to the fact that a few meters from the campus, police wounded one of the suspects during detention. Two more defendants, brothers, are being questioned by law enforcement agencies.

Sexual violence remains a serious problem in India. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, more than 80 cases are reported daily to police. In 2012, the gang rape of a student in Delhi also sparked mass protests, resulting in sweeping legal reforms, including tougher penalties and expedited trials. According to Reuters, the statistics have not improved since then.

Ernest Philippowski