Shedding light on sexual crimes and victim’s rights: Examining the intersection of psychology and law in the Indian legal system

Abstract

The Indian legal system reveals a complex and often problematic relationship between law, society, and sexual crime. This paper tries to investigate the different legal meanings and the role of law in treating individual psychology through analysis of various laws, scenarios, and their respective shortcomings, along with the changes that need to be introduced. The paper thoroughly asserts, taking with it arguments and criticisms of the law, the need for a sense of awareness regarding victim’s rights in India. One side of the Indian legal system which has to change and has been changing for progress in penalizing sexual crimes is the Indian Penal Code which has also been critically analyzed; moreover, the contradictory paradox of marital rape and the retrogression which is extremely prevalent in India has also been discussed in the paper. There is a need for greater awareness and education about sexual rights and laws in India, particularly in rural areas where there may be a lack of understanding and access to legal resources. The laws must be reformed to reflect the diverse sexual identities and experiences of individuals and communities and to ensure that the legal system serves as a tool for justice and equality rather than a source of further oppression and discrimination.