NEW DELHI -- Hundreds of students protested in Delhi on Wednesday, demanding better safety for women, after a teenager said she had been gang-raped by three men posing as police officers at a park in the national capital this week.
Police shot and caught one suspect on Tuesday and were questioning two more, who were brothers, senior police officer Vijay Kumar told reporters after the 17-year-old reported the assault.
Protesters, most of them female and several wearing face masks, held placards and shouted slogans while marching on the streets near the crime scene on Wednesday evening, demanding safety.
“Our body is our own,” some placards said, while others demanded freedom to go out at night without fear.
India has struggled to reduce sexual violence
The alleged assault occurred barely 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) from Lady Shri Ram (LSR) College, one of the country’s top colleges for women, which suspended classes on Tuesday after the suspect was shot meters away from its campus.
“Some students were panicking after the shooting so we decided to suspend classes around noon,” a college official, who did not want to be named, told Reuters.
LSR Principal Kanika K Ahuja said classes were canceled after college authorities came to know about the incident, adding that the “safety, security, and well-being” of students was “paramount” to the institution, local media reported.
The father of the two brothers questioned over the incident was cited in a local media report as saying they had been framed. Reuters was not immediately able to establish how the arrested suspect had responded to the charges.
Sexual violence is a major issue across India, with more than 80 rapes reported to police every day, according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau.
Many more assaults go unreported because victims are often blamed and shamed, activists say.
The gang-rape of a student in Delhi in 2012 triggered massive protests that culminated in sweeping legal reforms, including more severe punishment for those convicted and fast-track courts.
The reforms have, however, done little to improve statistics on sexual violence in the country, where analysts say deep-seated patriarchy, understaffed police forces, and judicial delays leave many perpetrators believing they can escape punishment.
Reporting by Sakshi Dayal and Bhawika Chhabra; Editing by YP Rajesh and Philippa Fletcher, Reuters
If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma in Canada, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:
- Call 911 if you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety.
- The Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres’ website has a comprehensive list of sexual assault centres in Canada that offer information, advocacy and counselling.
- The Ending Violence Association of Canada’s website has links to helplines, support services and locations across Canada that offer sexual assault kits.
- Indian Residential School Survivors Society crisis lines: +1 866 925 4419 or +1 800 721 0066 (24/7)
- Toronto Rape Crisis Centre crisis line: +1 416 597 8808 (24/7)
- Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: +1 833 900 1010 (24/7)
- Trans Lifeline: +1 877 330 6366
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 988 (24/7)
- Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre for current and former Canadian Armed Forces members: +1 844 750 1648
- Read about your rights as a victim on the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime website.
