In Delhi, from 2017 to March 31, 2018, approximately 3.75 per cent rapes were committed by strangers while almost 96.5 per cent were by persons known to the victim. Which is perhaps why Delhi Police’s Deependra Pathak believes most of the rape cases could not have been prevented by the cops, as they happened within a family or friend network. Instead, he puts the onus on society, “which needs to change itself”.
There is a high incidence of incestuous rape and assault, and also that committed by neighbours, friends and acquaintances. Pathak points out that of all the cases, most perpetrators “were those meant to protect the child or were part of the family, very close family members, like father, uncle, mama (mother’s brother)”.
