Seven men were arrested for the gang rape of a 29-year-old woman on Sunday, January 13, 2013. The woman had been traveling on a bus when the driver ignored her request to stop and brought her to an isolated place where she was raped by seven men. The following morning she was brought back to her requested destination, and she reported the incident to the police.
The incident received extra attention as a result of the high profile rape case that took place in New Delhi in December, resulting in the death of a young woman. Since the assault in Decemeber, police have seen an increase in the reports of sexual assaults throughout the country. While the topic received little attention before, incidents are now regularly making headline news.
According to senior police spokesperson Hardeep Dhillon, “The increased media reporting and the protests have created an awakening among women, and they are now coming forward like never before to report rape and want to fight for justice.” In addition, this heightened attention to the topic of violence against women may have resulted in an increased sensitivity throughout the police force. According to Dhillon, “Earlier, the police would merely make a note of the details of a rape case when a woman came to the police station. They would hold a preliminary inquiry, ascertain the facts and only then register a formal complaint… Now they file the complaint immediately and believe the victim’s statement without questioning.”