An alleged gang rape in Delhi has renewed debate over women’s safety in India. Hundreds of students marched Wednesday after authorities said three men posing as police officers allegedly gang-raped a 17-year-old girl in a public park on Monday.
Official data put recorded rape cases at an average of 80 per day in 2024, compared with about 68 per day in 2012. Activists say sexual assaults are likely undercounted because victims often do not report them, citing stigma. After the 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student, India broadened the criminal definitions of penetration and consent, made gang rape punishable by at least 20 years in prison and introduced the death penalty for repeat rape offenders.
Lawyer Shilpi Jain told AFP that overstretched police and courts lack the resources to investigate cases thoroughly. The rape conviction rate remains around a quarter of cases reaching trial, while fewer than 10% of more than 200,000 rape cases before courts in 2024 were completed, official data showed. Jain said an average rape case takes seven to eight years. Gender-rights activist Poonam Muttreja said prevention must begin in homes, schools, communities, digital spaces and police systems.
