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Indian rape victim in 2012 named by mother

December 17, 2015

The Indian woman who was brutally gang-raped in 2012, dubbed by media as Nirbhaya, has been publicly named by her mother. The tragic incident has led to more reports of violence against women.

https://p.dw.com/p/1HOrM
Indian women shout slogans against police during a protest outside Delhi police headquarters
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

Asha Singh, the mother of a student who had been gang-raped on a bus in New Delhi three years ago, has publically revealed her daughters name for the first time on Wednesday. Under Indian law, rape victims are not allowed to be named.

"I feel no shame in naming my daughter." Asha Singh said in front of a cheering crowd in India's capital.

"I want to tell everyone my daughter's name is Jyoti Singh."

Jyoti Singh was brutally assaulted and gang-raped by 5 men and a 17-year-old on a bus in the Indian capital on the night of December 16, 2012. She died nearly two weeks after the incident in a Singapore hospital. Her death sparked global outrage and protests.

The Indian media referred to her as Nirbhaya, which means fearless in Hindi, and soon after her death a memorial event called Nirbhaya Chetna Divas, or the Day for Awakening of Nirbhaya was called in her honor.

Punishment for the attackers

Five of the six men who assaulted Jyoti Singh were sentenced to death. The 17-year-old was sentenced to a maximum of three years in a detention facility for juveniles.

The 17-year-old was scheduled to be released by the end of this week, but the Indian government asked for an extension. According to his lawyer, the government said his rehabilitation in the facility was not complete.

Singh's parents criticized the ruling and said they want the youngest of the rapists to be given the same punishment as the other attackers.

"Almost every day we read about even small girls being raped. If criminals like him are let off I fear what will happen to society," her father Badri Nath Singh said in a call to politicians to introduce tougher penalties for rapists.

"We would have failed to get justice for our daughter till all the men including the youngest are hanged."

More reports of violence against women

According to researchers, the tragic incident led to more rapes being reported.

However, Ranjana Kumari, director of Delhi-based Centre for Social Research, said, "The gang rape triggered a public outcry, but that is about all."

"Nothing has changed and nothing will till those unleashing violence against women are promptly punished."

India has registered more than 36,000 cases of rape in 2014, with 2,096 cases occurring in Delhi.

smm/bw (AFP, dpa)