Health Policy and Planning
Volume 30 Issue 5 June 2015
http://heapol.oxfordjournals.org/content/current

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Sexual violence in India: addressing gaps between policy and implementation
Prachi Sharma1, M K Unnikrishnan1 and Abhishek Sharma1,2,*
Author Affiliations
1Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal University, Madhav Nagar, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India, 2Department of International Health, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, United States of America
Accepted February 6, 2014.
Abstract
The savage Delhi rape of 16 December 2012 was instrumental in generating the Verma Report that framed policies for amending the Criminal Laws related to sexual violence, professionalizing forensic/medical examination of victims, and sensitizing the police, electorate and the educational sectors. Unfortunately, even after a year, the Indian Home Ministry has abysmally failed to implement most recommendations, even underutilizing budgetary allocations. This article addresses gaps in governance systems and offers solutions to the problem of sexual violence in India.