Author
Prof Shaveta Gagneja
Organisation/Institution
FIMT New Delhi
Country
INDIA
Panel
Women and Law
Title
Crimes Against Dalit Women Through Intersectional Lens: Indian and Global Reflections
Abstract
Dalit women in India, constituting 16.6% of the nation s population, bear the "triple burden" of oppression based on gender, class, and caste. This intersectionality shapes their societal status, treatment, and access to opportunities, ultimately influencing the respect accorded to them as individuals. Their vulnerability to violence is exacerbated by entrenched prejudices related to caste discrimination and gender inequality, which not only affect their safety at home but also in public spaces. Such systemic issues challenge the credibility of their complaints regarding crimes perpetrated against them, often leading to a lack of accountability for the privileged classes who inflict such violence. Intersectionality and the triple burden faced by marginalized women are often overlooked in academic discourse; in fact, the narrative is appropriated by those not even directly experiencing such oppression. The Black Feminist Movement in the USA has been instrumental in bringing to light the unique struggles of African-American women, emphasizing their distinct experiences compared to their “white” counterparts. This movement has provided a platform for these women to assert their voices and has served as inspiration for marginalized women globally. This paper aims to explore the impact of Black Feminism on Dalit women in India, focusing on their suffering while also discussing casteism in South Asia and the historical oppression experienced in Nazi Germany. Additionally, the paper seeks to understand the lived experiences of Dalit women, the crimes they endure, their responses to such treatment—whether they speak out or remain silent, whether their victimhood is acknowledged by their families, law enforcement, and the judiciary—and the measures taken by society and the government to address and penalize their aggressors. Keywords: Dalit women intersectionality Dalit feminism Black feminism Caste system in India classism and Gender inequality.
Biography
PROF DR SHAVETA GAGNEJA Prof. (Dr.) Shaveta Gagneja is a distinguished legal scholar with more than twenty years of extensive experience in legal education, research, and practice. She is currently the Director (Law) at the FIMT School of Law Affiliated to GGSIP University, New Delhi and has previously worked at esteemed institutions, such as the Army Institute of Law, Mohali, and the University of Delhi. Dr. Gagneja, an accomplished author and researcher, has made significant contributions to legal scholarship through her publication of research articles, books and as the Editor of the FIMT Law Journal. Her professional ethos is profoundly rooted in the promotion of gender sensitivity, social justice, and the integration of legal theory with practical application. She has had a significant influence on both the academic and social landscape by organizing a variety of national conferences, legal awareness initiatives, and training programs, as well as curating innovative certificate courses. Dr Gagneja is a regular contributor to the Times of India blog, Legal Brief, where she writes on contemporary legal developments and issues. Dr. Gagneja’s areas of interest include Artificial Intelligence and Law Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution Gender Justice Victim Justice
