Using Rape to Reinforce Power

The brutal rape and torture of a 19-year-old Maha Dalit woman in September at the hands of men from a “dominant caste” caused a national outcry in India—but there are many more like her.
 
Rape is a tool of systematic oppression against Dalit people, formerly known as “untouchables,” writes Stella Paul.

Most Dalit rape victims are minors—and the rape is only the beginning. Further threats and economic reliance on dominant castes mean the bulk of these crimes go unreported.
 
But there is one safe haven: The Swabhiman Society has given many Dalit women
“the courage to demand justice in a legal court”—and encouraged them to study law.
 
IPS