Photos show Nagas protesting against rising cases of sexual violence

KOHIMA, India (AP) — Thousand of people from the Naga community marched in pouring rain on Friday to demand justice for victims of sexual violence after a spate of cases reported in the state.

In Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, the protesters said it was time to break the silence around sexual violence for fear of societal recrimination and discrimination.

“Victims and victim families have faced doubts cast on victims, character assassination and often pressures and compromises on the victim to marry the rapist or perpetrator. Many cases have therefore remained unreported,” said Rosemary Dzuvichu, an adviser for the Naga Mother’s Association and a key leader for women’s rights in the state.

The small mountain state, that has consistently ranked as one of the safest places for women in India, has been shaken by a chain of sexual assaults in the past few months.

Sophy Lasuh, an independent researcher, reflected after participating in the rally with her sister, “We need to reflect and ask ourselves what it means to be a close knit society when we mourn and grieve together without question, yet abandon survivors of sexual assault to fight alone, carrying a shame that actually belongs to the perpetrator.”

Reports of sexual assaults on women have become familiar in India, where police recorded a total of 29,536 cases of rape in 2024, according to the country’s National Crime Records Bureau. The actual figure is believed to be far higher due to the stigma surrounding sexual violence and victims’ lack of faith in police.

“We do not want Nagaland to be this way,” said Sanglishe Yimkhiumg, 45, as she stood in the rain holding an umbrella, surrounded by her tribeswomen.

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This gallery was curated by AP photo editors.

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