India's Rape Conviction Rates Remain Stalled Despite 2013 Legal Overhaul

A gang rape in Bihar echoes the 2012 Delhi case that prompted India's Criminal Law Amendment Act, which expanded rape definitions and introduced capital punishment. Yet conviction rates have plateaued. The National Crime Records Bureau documents persistent gaps between reported cases and convictions—driven by investigative failures, witness intimidation, and systemic gender bias. Bihar reveals deeper deficits: under-resourced police, inadequate fast-track courts, and minimal survivor support systems.