The Netflix series Delhi Crime is based on a true story—the 2012 Delhi bus gang rape case. Six men brutally assaulted 23-year-old student Jyoti Singh, who later died from her injuries. Nearly ten thousand people took to the streets in protest, prompting the Indian government to revise its laws in 2013. The reforms introduced harsher penalties for sexual crimes, including the death penalty for rape, and established fast-track courts.

Yet despite stricter laws, sexual violence has not declined. Most victims are women, often from Dalit communities excluded from the caste system. In India’s deeply entrenched patriarchal order, men hold economic, educational, and religious power, while women are seen as subordinate—and low-caste women are especially vulnerable. Survivors who report crimes face police indifference, a lack of legal resources, social stigma, and even blame from their own families. These barriers keep cases hidden and justice out of reach. Without deep cultural change, harsher punishments alone are unlikely to stem the tide of sexual violence.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, You are the hope of victims of sex crimes and their families; You are the source of peace and justice. Lord, be near to the wounded—weep with them. The pain they bear is beyond what we can imagine. Stretch out Your healing hand to soothe the wounds deep within, and renew their strength in You. We also pray for the perpetrators: though they have committed crimes, they are still children You love. By the blood of Jesus Christ, cleanse them from all unrighteousness, that they repent of their sins and return to You. May the Holy Spirit lead them onto the path of righteousness, that by encountering Christ their lives may be renewed and changed. Raise up Christians in India to confront the issue of sexual violence with courage and compassion, serving this land with Your mercy. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.