Is India Really the “Rape Capital of the World”?

Sexual assault is indeed a problem in India, but is rape actually more common in India than in the West? Social pressures, however, are a big factor in whether or not rapes are reported.

After the horrific Nirbhaya rape case of 2012 where a 23-year-old student was brutally raped and murdered aboard a bus in Delhi, there was massive public outcry. The incident shocked not only the people of India, but people across the globe. As citizens of Delhi took to the streets to protest the incident and claim justice for the victim, global media outlets blasted headlines, claiming India was the “Rape capital of the world.”

Fast forward to today. Since the protests, in 2013, the laws surrounding rape were reformed and the minimum sentence for rapists was doubled from 10 years to 20. This is not the first time such reforms have taken place in India regarding rape and sexual assault as highlighted by an article in the Wall Street Journal.

However, India still has a long way to go as it is still a major issue with reported cases increasing in number from 24,923 in 2011 to 34,651 in 2015. Emotional counselling for victims and their families and police sensitivity training are two areas in want of improvement.

The situation is not good today. But is it as grave as the world media portrays it? Whenever there is a conversation about India, rape is always brought up. If you don’t believe that statement, go look under the comments section on any major news outlet with an article discussing India. The reasons are few and clear. The first reason is the sensationalist reporting of crimes against women in India, particularly by French and American media outlets. The second reason is the highly vocal Indian media, who according to an article by TIME, “have faithfully recorded each and every rape case, highlighted them for the world and continue to do so.” The third is the active public outcry within India by ordinary citizens, political activists and feminist groups.