Criminal Amnesia | Sexual Violence in Manipur
The recent rape-murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata which led to widespread protests and outrage was a reminder of the endemic nature of sexual violence in the country, despite stricter punishments for offenders. Perhaps because, barring a few, sexual assault survivors or victims rarely find justice in India. We visited Manipur, where just over a year ago, multiple women were sexually assaulted amid the ongoing ethnic conflict between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo communities. We met those who survived sexual violence like Angel* and kin of those who did not the parents of the Flora* who was allegedly raped by mobs. We also revisited an old case from 20 years ago, a heinous instance of alleged extrajudicial rape-murder. In all these cases, women's bodies were used as 'weapons of war' and in all these cases, no one has yet been arrested. Public memory about these cases may be short-lived but for many, the wait for justice is eternal.
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