[1] Research Scholar, School of Law, Justice and Governance, Gautam Buddha University

[2] Assistant Professor, School of Law, Justice and Governance, Gautam Buddha University

[3] Dalit Women Rise for Justice: Status Report (2014-2020), AIDMAM-NCDHRC, 2021, Pg 22

[4] Ibid

[5] Saikia, Sailajananda: Discrimination of Fundamental Rights: A Critical Review on the Present Caste Based Status of Dalit’s in India, Journal of Social Welfare and Human Rights March, Vol. 2, Iss. 1, 2014

[6] Kumar, Ajay: Sexual Violence against Dalit Women: An Analytical Study of Intersectionality of Gender, Caste, and Class in India. Journal of International Women's Studies, Vol. 22: Iss. 10, 2021

[7] National Crime Records Bureau, Crime in India, 2011-2021, available at https://ncrb.gov.in/en/crime-in-india

[8] National Crime Records Bureau, Crime in India, 2017-2021, available at https://ncrb.gov.in/en/crime-in-india

[9] Ibid.

[10] National Crime Records Bureau, Crime in India, 2017-2021, available at https://ncrb.gov.in/en/crime-in-india

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ajay: Atrocities on Dalits- A Human Rights Perspective, ILI Law Review, Vol 1, Iss. 54, 2010

[13] Ibid.

[14] Art. 14: “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.”

[15] Supra note 12.

[16] Art. 17: “Untouchability is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden The enforcement of any disability arising out of Untouchability shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law”

[17] Art. 23(1): “Traffic in human beings and begar and other similar forms of forced labour are prohibited and any contravention of this provision shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.”

[18] Agrawal Girish & Gonsalves, Collin: Dalits and The Law, Human Right Law Network, New Delhi, 2005

[19] S. 14, The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

[20] S. 15, The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

[21] Rule 7(1), Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995

[22] S. 18, The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

[23] S. 19, The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

[24] Section 154, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

[25] Section 166 A(c) Indian Penal Code, 1860

[26] Dalit Women Rise for Justice: Status Report (2014-2020), AIDMAM-NCDHRC, 2021, at 72.

[27] See Caste Based Sexual Violence and State Impunity, DHRDNet, March 2022; Dalit Women Rise for Justice, AIDMAM-NCDHR, March 2021; Justice Denied: Sexual Violence and Intersectional Discrimination - Barriers to Accessing Justice for Dalit women and girls in Haryana, India, Equality Now & Swabhiman Society, November 2020

[28] CEHAT, Role of Medico-legal Evidence in Rape Trials: A Review of Judgments at the Sessions Court in Mumbai, 2020

[29] Caste Based Sexual Violence and State Impunity, DHRDNet, March 2022

[30] Justice Denied: Sexual Violence and Intersectional Discrimination - Barriers to Accessing Justice for Dalit women and girls in Haryana, India, Equality Now & Swabhiman Society, November 2020

[31] Section 173, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 & Rule 7(2) SCs & STs PoA, Act 1989

[32] Dalit Women Rise for Justice: Status Report (2014-2020), AIDMAM-NCDHRC, Pg 75

[33] Guidelines and Protocols, Medico-legal care for survivors/victims of sexual violence, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, March 19, 2014.

[34] Ibid.

[35] Supra note 26 at 81

[36] Supra note 33

[37] Section 173, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

[38] Section 309, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 & Section 14(2) SCs & STs (PoA) Act, 1989

[39] National Crime Records Bureau, Crime in India, 2021, available at https://ncrb.gov.in/en/crime-in-india

[40] Justice Denied: Sexual Violence and Intersectional Discrimination - Barriers to Accessing Justice for Dalit women and girls in Haryana, India, Equality Now & Swabhiman Society, November 2020, at 23