Rising Sexual Violence and Institutional Apathy in India

Recent incidents across Indian states—ranging from Odisha and Bengal to Karnataka and Delhi—have highlighted a disturbing rise in cases of sexual harassment and violence against women, particularly within supposedly secure environments such as educational institutions and workplaces.

Alarming Surge in Gender-Based Violence

Recent Cases:

• A 20-year-old B.Ed student in Odisha immolated herself outside her college principal’s office after repeated sexual harassment complaints were ignored.
• A law college student was gang-raped on campus in West Bengal (June 2025).
• In Mangaluru, lecturers were arrested for alleged sexual assault of a student.
• In Delhi, the rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl led to political outrage over administrative failure.

Legal and Institutional Framework: On Paper vs Practice

• Relevant Law:
  • Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 mandates the formation of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) in all institutions.
• Gaps in Implementation:
  • The Odisha government issued directives to form ICCs only after the incident, revealing negligence in compliance.
  • The lack of timely response from institutions and authorities, including escalation to the Chief Minister’s Office, indicates bureaucratic apathy.

Statistical Snapshot of Gender Crimes

• Data from NCRB (2022):
  • Total crimes against women: 4,45,256 (increase of 4% over 2021).
  • Cruelty by husband/relatives: 31.4%
  • Assault with intent to outrage modesty: 18.7%
  • Rape: 7.1%

Structural and Cultural Barriers

• Barriers to Reporting:
  • Fear of retaliation, victim-blaming, and social stigma.
  • Lack of sensitization among institutional heads and authorities.
• Failure of Preventive Institutions:
  • ICCs either non-existent or non-functional in several colleges/universities.
  • Lack of accountability mechanisms within educational and administrative hierarchies.

Societal Desensitization and Media Cycles

• Short-lived Public Outrage:
  • Media and public attention often fade within days, weakening long-term advocacy and systemic
• Cultural Normalization of Misogyny:
  • Patriarchal norms and gender-based power dynamics continue to shape institutional responses and public discourse.

Way Forward

• Systemic Overhaul of Redressal Mechanisms
  • Ensure strict compliance with the 2013 POSH Act through third-party audits and mandatory reporting.
  • Penalise institutions failing to establish or maintain functional ICCs.
• Institutional Accountability and Training
  • Regular gender-sensitization programs for teachers, administrative staff, and law enforcement agencies.
  • Integration of grievance redressal modules in teacher training programs (especially B.Ed curriculums).
• Strengthening Legal and Judicial Response
  • Establish fast-track courts for campus-based gender crimes.
  • Monitor police response time and FIR registration timelines using digital dashboards.
• Cultural and Educational Transformation
  • Integrate comprehensive sex education and gender sensitivity into school and college syllabi.
  • Promote youth-led awareness campaigns on campuses to counteract rape culture and encourage active bystander intervention.
• Reliable Data and Transparency
  • Release NCRB data in a timely manner to inform policy.
  • Enable anonymous online complaint systems at institutions for safer reporting.