According to a recent report, for many years, the forest areas near reserves have provided a space for women residing in surrounding villages to escape India's deeply conservative, male-dominated society.
These women found freedom and the opportunity to express their emotions away from societal restrictions.
Typically, women ventured into the forests to gather firewood and grass. However, the installation of camera traps, drones, and sound recorders for wildlife conservation purposes has extended the male-dominated gaze to these areas as well.
Environmental conservation expert Rosalind Duffy from Sheffield University stated that such surveillance was not accidental. Instead, it has become a new method for harassing women.
India ranks among the world’s top five most unsafe countries for women, with escalating harassment cases making it a dangerous destination for both local and international female tourists. Since 2012, over 30,000 rape incidents have been reported, and by 2023/2024, the figure surpassed 40,000, with Delhi witnessing four reported rapes daily.
Reports of misconduct in the Indian armed forces involving female personnel have also risen, with instances such as the inappropriate behavior toward female cadets in Gujarat and incidents involving Major General R.S. Jaiswal and a lady captain in the Assam Rifles.
The rise in high-profile rape cases involving foreign female tourists has further damaged India's global image. Senior lawyer Rebecca M. John, who represents rape victims, explained that some criminals in India continue to commit their crimes without fear of the law due to weak enforcement.
Despite the introduction of various laws by the Modi government, the conviction rate for rape cases between 2018 and 2023 remained between 27 per cent and 28 per cent. This low rate is the result of poor law enforcement and ineffective policing.
Indian civil society organizations and international NGOs must pressure the Indian government to establish clear guidelines for the use of these laws and impose strict penalties for their misuse. Despite India’s growing global economic stature, local women and foreign female tourists continue to fall victim to sexual violence.
