In September 2020, a teenager from the marginalised Dalit or “untouchable” community was fatally gang-raped by members of upper castes in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The crime led to widespread outcry and reignited age-old debates surrounding India’s ancient system of caste hierarchy. Although discrimination based on caste is banned under the Indian constitution, it is still widespread. On average, ten Dalit women are raped every day, while upper caste perpetrators often benefit from impunity. But some activists are determined to change things, as our correspondents report.
Women of India’s Dalit caste overexposed to rape and other crimes
