Gang rape of Spanish tourist in India sparks debate on prevalence of sexual violence: ‘all women are at risk’

An alleged incident involving the heinous gang rape of a Spanish travel influencer in India has reignited public outrage and sparked an intense debate on social media regarding what is seen as an enduring rape culture in the country.

According to the police, the woman and her husband were staying the night in the Dumka district of India’s eastern state of Jharkhand when they were attacked by seven men. The woman was sexually assaulted while her husband was tied up and beaten.

The woman later shared a video on her Instagram account, describing the horrifying ordeal: “I thought they were going to kill me. Thank God I am still alive.”

Police said late on Tuesday they had arrested a total of eight men – aged between 18 and 25 – allegedly involved in the crime, with Dumka police chief Pitamber Singh Kherwar adding that authorities had “ample evidence” and would file charges.

As news of the incident spread, Indian and foreign women shared their own experiences of rape and harassment in the country, while denouncing the culture that they say continues to allow such crimes.

Many say sexual violence remains rampant in India despite previous legal reforms and the frequency of such crimes, coupled with the lack of effective implementation of laws and societal change, underscore a systemic failure to protect women.

“I have been sexually harassed several times in India, like every woman I know who has spent time there. It tends to get press attention when the target is a foreigner. But Indian women face this issue more than anyone else,” said Audrey Truschke, a South Asian historian and associate professor at Rutgers University.

Shonali Verma, a consultant at a private company in New Delhi, told This Week in Asia the fear of harassment or