While the men and women of the University of Wyoming are joining the internationally recognized End Violence against Women Campaign, rape and other forms of sexual assault and harassment are still very real threats to women across the world.
On Dec. 16, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student and her male friend were attacked on a bus in south Delhi. The suspects beat both of them and then raped the female student, police said. She suffered massive internal injuries and died after being flown to Singapore for medical attention two weeks later on Dec. 29.
The trial for the rape and murder has begun in one of Delhi’s fast-track courts, the BBC reported. These fast-track courts have been established to bring justice for crimes against women, especially rape.
If these men are convicted, they could face the death penalty. However, these five men have all pled not-guilty to the charges of murder, rape and kidnapping, despite the vast amount of evidence brought up against them.
The man who accompanied the victim of this trial testified on Tuesday. He is one of 86 witnesses who will testify in this trial. The prosecution expects to finish presenting their case within a month.
This case has shocked India and has sparked reforms for the treatment of women living there. There have been protests nationwide against the treatment of women in India. Women across the country are calling for stricter laws on sexual assault and for a change in cultural attitudes towards women.
According to the Indian Council on Global Relations, most women have stories of sexual harassment and abuse on public transportation or on the streets.
Ranjana Kumair, the director of the Centre for Social Research in India, said there are believed to be around 95,000 rape cases still open nationwide.
“We need a system in which women can get justice quickly. Otherwise, it can take 10 or 12 or 14 years for cases to be taken up by the court,” Kumair said.
In response to the protests, the Indian government has promised to create stricter sexual assault laws and has now established several committees to bring about change for the women of India.
