[View the story "No longer silent" on Storify ]No longer silent Can India's public outrage translate to action on sexual violence? Storified by The Stream · Wed, Jan 02 2013 10:23:38
On December 16, a 23-year-old medical student was sexually assaulted on a New Delhi bus by six men.
Shortly after news of the assault spread two days later, demonstrations began.
Delhi gangrape: People's are angry and protesting outside Vasant Vihar Police Station, South Delhi.parasmaniji001
As protests escalated on December 22, police used water cannons on a group of demonstrators deemed too close to the presidential palace. Dozens of people were
reported injured.
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On the morning of December 29, the victim of the assault died in hospital.
Aided by the sharing of information on social media, thousands of Indians gathered in popular places to voice their outrage.
India mourns as gang-rape victim's funeral heldemirates247channel
Rape: Thousands protest: Thousands across India demand changes from the government after a gang rape victim dies from her injuries.WAYNE WATSON
In a move to avoid public chaos, the Indian government
closed all paths to the major New Delhi road, India Gate. This elicited angry responses from both demonstrators in India and netizens abroad.
#DelhiRapeCase Roads to India Gate blocked, 10 metros closed. Public questions barricading.Niti Central
RT @Iamtssudhir: All roads leading to India Gate Closed today. And we thought d 23-year-old's death wl Open our eyes to d muck happening around us #delhirapeSiddhartha S. Biswas
By closing Metro stations,roads to India gate n vvip houses,people's anger can't b closed.Close shameful dance of democracy n open ur minds.Harbans Kapoor
The Indian government seems to have prioritized ending protests over dealing with violence against women and rape culture. #DelhiGangRapeJosh Shahryar شهريار
Five men have been charged for the victim's death. Another accused attacker, a juvenile, may be let off without any significant punishment. Under Indian law, minors are
protected from prosecution.
India conducts bone test to confirm age of young suspect in gang rape http://wapo.st/10LOEBGPost World News
5 to face murder charges in India rape case: Police want bone test to confirm age of 6th suspect; juveniles can't be charged with mur...Carrie Bathelely
The incident has shed light on women's struggle with sexual violence in India.
Sexual harassment and molestation of women in public spaces is routine in India, but it is often swept under the carpet with the innocuous-sounding euphemism of “eve-teasing.”Gang rape of a woman on a bus in New Delhi raises outrage in India
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Rapes in New Delhi, dubbed the "rape capital" of India, account for
25 per cent of the country's 24,206 rape cases in 2011. In a recent poll, 92 per cent of women said they felt
unsafe in New Delhi.
If the situation worsen then soon #NewDelhi would be called the Rape Capital of the World.#DelhiGangRape #IndiaMehul Vora
In another poll,
TrustLaw rated India as the worst G20 country for women.
Trust
One of the reason the country ranks low in TrustLaw's poll is its culture of
victim-blaming .
Experts say blaming survivors of sexual assault is common in India. Rather than prosecute perpetrators, many say the fault belongs to rape survivors, who are shamed for, say, daring to walk alone, taking public transportation or wearing certain clothes.India: New Delhi Gang Rape Calls Attention to Sex-Violence Epidemic | TIME.com
attitudes towards sexual assault need to change not just in India, but around the world.Its time to stop victim blaming http://pic.twitter.com/CRlov4S7AYLWomen
23yo victim of brutal rape has died. Indian practice of turning a blind eye and blaming the victim must stop. #DelhiGangRapeSeema Marwaha
An exposé on Indian police officials' perceptions on rape, conducted by the Indian magazine
Tehelka , found that a victim-blaming attitude is prevalent within police ranks.
Seventeen senior cops of over a dozen police stations across Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad were caught on spy camera blaming everything from fashionable or revealing clothes to having boyfriends to visiting pubs to consuming alcohol to working alongside men as the main reasons for instances of rape.TEHELKA INVESTIGATION: The rapes will go on
This video from the investigation captures police commentary on several rape cases in the country.
Tehelka Sting Exposé: THE RAPES WILL GO ONtehelkatv
The relationship between the police and citizens has been tested yet again during the protests.
The bus driver ram singh went out with his 6 ...Facebook
Twitter user Shambhavi Saxena, tweeted about her experience in custody over Christmas. She will join our program via Google+ hangout.
Women are agreeing to take a stand here at Jantar Mantar. Got a group of about 10 women and growing.Shambhavi
Illegally being held here at Parliament St Police Station Delhi w/ 15 other women. Terrified, pls RTShambhavi
It is a traumatizing experience to be dragged and beaten and threatened by cops, I was too scared to tweet, pls respect this.Shambhavi
Citizens are also critical of the disproportionate amount of officers
assigned to ministers, MPs, and other bureaucrats - commonly referred to as "VIPs".
In World "Rape Capital" Delhi,there is one police officer for every 200 citizens and about 20 officers for every VIP.Times of India.How sad!jiwankhan
@thekiranbedi Madam, how long will you light candles? Whats the use? Why is Police unable to protect common man/woman in India? only for VIPSubhan
#India police reform too RT @VinitaDeshmukh: While amending rape laws, amend VIP protection lawSpring Blossoms
Politicians have not escaped blame for their role in the treatment of women.
India's leading political parties have offered tickets to 27 candidates accused of rape and a whopping 260 candidates facing charges for crimes against women ranging from assault to harassment over the past five years. As a result, two members of the current parliament and six members of the various state legislative assemblies are facing rape charges, while 36 others face charges for lesser crimes against women.India: To stop rape, start at the top | GlobalPost
In #India politicians with rape charges get elected to make laws in Parliament. In other countries even for adultery they honourably quit.Keshav KPK
Lets demand action politicians having rape /molestation charges. It's time we stand up & defend our women. It's time 2 rise India. Lets risekamlesh vora
Recently, Abhijit Mukherjee, an Indian congress member of parliament and the president's son, stated that he thought the women protesting were "
dented and painted ".
Here, he is shown being questioned by Indian TV personality Arnab Goswami:
The Best Indian Debate Ever - Arnab Goswami VS Abhijit Mukherjeethesoftview
Although India has women figures in the political sphere, "the fate of women has not improved",
according to author Dinesh Sharma. Sharma says conditions have become worse, adding that Bollywood, and its cherry-picking of western society, is partially to blame for India's mistreatment of women.
Clearly, the big names of Bollywood are to blame here for importing the debauchery of the West, while passing over thousands of years of civilisation development which has made western culture the envy of the world.Rape of Draupadi: Why Indian democracy has failed women - Opinion - Al Jazeera English
Consulting editor of The Economic Times Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar also casts blame on India's film industry:
What’s truly terrible is the manner in which film heroes have for decades pestered, stalked and forced their unwanted attentions on heroines in a thousand films, yet ended up getting the girl. That sends the most outrageous of all messages to the public: pestering girls is what heroes do, and a girl’s “no” actually means “yes.”Films sanctify pestering and stalking of women by Swaminomics : SA Aiyar's blog-The Times Of India
Casting Couch HD Bollywood Hindi - Kamal Hasan Rapes Manishahdhotsongs
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In response to the recent outcry, the Indian government
offered to set up fast track courts for rapists and even created a help hotline for Delhi women.
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Fast-track court in Saket to try #Delhi Gang-rape case on day-to-day basis #India #StepAgainstCrimeIndia Virtual Info
Another proposition by the government, which may be
implemented soon, is an Indian database of those accused of rape or sexual assault.
Pray for the Women in India and all over who are Sexually assaulted or raped and then shamed for it. TIME TO NAME AND SHAME their attackers.Happy Frejo
Some protesters have
called for harsher penalties for the rape crimes:
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Its disgusting how unsafe Delhi is becoming 4women! Either there should be capital punishment 4 rapists or they should be castrated #JusticePreity zinta
Some Indian women have even
purchased guns in an effort to protect themselves against potential attacks.
India must change it's gun laws. Let the citizens and more importantly women carry guns.Navneet
It's sad how women in India now want guns for protection. There shouldn't be a need for protection. Atrocities like this should never happenCharles Xavier
Not all agree with the implementation of harsher penalties:
When we demand the death penalty, do we mean therefore that we should kill large numbers of uncles, fathers, brothers, husbands, neighbours? How many of us would even report cases of rape then? What we’re seeing now — the slow, painful increase in even reports being filed — will all disappearThe Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Let’s ask how we contribute to rape
Despite their varied opinions, most agree that there is a need for change in India.
Her death has shaken the conscience of the nation. We must wake up and make India safe for daughters.Sushma Swaraj
Her greatest betrayal is that we will forget. Political systems greatest hope is we will forget.R only redemption is if we do not forgetShekhar Kapur
indians protest for justice... hope all these protests doesnt go in vain. plz give us justice.Reshma Ravi
Take a Stand For Herssumeetss
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