The rape crisis in rural India is shrouded in silence

Families face threats, not justice. Systemic failures in law enforcement and judicial delays leave children and young girls vulnerable to brutal violence. Perpetrators are shielded by apathy, caste dynamics, and power. Laws meant to protect offer little relief or empathy to victims. Masoom, Chandralekha, Sarita, and thousands of girls like them live with the trauma of victim-blaming. But some social activists are trying to change the status quo. Grassroots efforts, from school campaigns to street plays, are breaking the silence. DW’s Akanksha Saxena uncovers both the crisis and the fight for justice in places often missing from the headlines.