Women’s Experiences of Sexual Violence in India: A Field Study in Kurukshetra, Haryana

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18410986

Tejasvita Sirohi¹, Gaurav Sharma², and Promila Mehra³ (Department of Law, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana^1,3 and Department of Applied Psychology, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana²)

This study investigated the consequential factors affecting the failure to curb sexual offences against women, irrespective of women’s economic, social, and educational empowerment on sexual offences. The study was conducted in the Kurukshetra district of northeastern Haryana, India. A questionnaire consisting of 38 items for professionals in the field of law and enforcement and 39 items for the general public was used to collect responses. The survey received the highest number of responses from students (72%) and lawyers/advocates (45%). The survey reveals significant barriers to justice for victims of various sexual offences, including power, fear, and administrative failure. Workplaces, educational institutions, and automobiles were the most frequently reported locations for sexual harassment. Among the general population and professionals, 46.11% and 46.46% feared societal stigma, respectively, while 46.82% and 42.37% feared the harasser’s retaliation when complaining about the ordeal. The study reveals significant barriers to access to justice. Additionally, 41.64% of professionals responded that inappropriate physical contact and online harassment were common. After reporting harassment, only 17.18% of the general population and 17.84% of professionals expressed satisfaction with the response given by the authorities. It is also being suggested that sexual offences are frequently perpetrated by members of the victim’s professional or social networks, which makes reporting them even more challenging because of power disparities and peer pressure.