New Delhi protests spark fresh debate over effectiveness of India's rape laws

Following the alleged gang-rape of a 17-year-old in a New Delhi park by three men masquerading as police officers, hundreds of students marched through the capital demanding more robust protection for women. The incident echoes the 2012 Nirbhaya case that spurred sweeping legal changes, yet activists say the new statutes have not curbed sexual violence. They cite persistent victim-blaming mindsets and an overtaxed criminal-justice system, where police stations serve millions and courts handle backlogs that delay trials for seven to eight years.

Official figures record about 80 rapes daily in 2024, higher than the 68 per day reported before the reforms, and less than 10 % of the 200,000 cases filed that year have been resolved. Lawyers and gender-rights advocates stress that enforcement gaps and deep-rooted cultural attitudes, rather than the laws themselves, are the main obstacles to safety.