‘We want justice’: series of rapes trigger mass protests at Indian universities

Women across Indian universities are demanding justice following a series of brutal rapes in Delhi, echoing the outrage sparked by the infamous Nirbhaya case 14 years ago. As hundreds of women marched through the streets of Delhi, they carried powerful messages on posters, such as "Girls don’t need curfews, rapists need consequences" and "Lock your dicks rather than your women at home." Their unified chant of "We want justice" resonated through the city, highlighting the ongoing threat of sexual violence.

The recent protests were ignited by multiple incidents of sexual violence, including the alleged gang-rape of a 17-year-old in a public park near Delhi University by three men posing as police officers. Just a week prior, another 17-year-old was gang-raped and murdered in Swaroop Nagar, with her body discovered days later in a field. Other reported cases included the rapes of an 11-year-old and a six-year-old in the same month, and a 16-year-old who was allegedly assaulted by a bus driver and conductor.

Despite the passage of time since the Nirbhaya incident, women assert that little has changed in terms of safety on the streets of Delhi. Statistics reveal that a woman is raped in India every 20 minutes, with many cases going unreported.