I am a rape survivor.”Īs Chander says these words out loud, he fervently hopes that this would help him to “move on and bury the ghosts of my past that came back to life after the recent discussions about rape”. But I want to bring to light the dilemma of many gay people who are subjected to similar brutality. “But what happens when a gay person is subjected to a similar act of violence? Does anyone even care when his or her dignity is undermined? In most instances, when such a subject is ever broached, most often it is the victim who ends up becoming the butt of myriad jokes,” says an agitated Ajay Chander (name changed on request), a victim of gayrape.Īs he narrates his harrowing tale, he observes, “Ever since the Delhi gang rape case, it seems as if rape cases have increased in a manifold way in India.
These rape survivors try and pick up the pieces of their lives, deal with the physical and psychological consequences and fight for justice with stoic perseverance. Lately, this four letter word has been appearing with frightening regularity in the Indian media as gruesome cases, including the recent gang rape of a Mumbai photojournalist, get reported widely.
