An 18-year-old woman from Kerala, India, has accused 64 men of sexually abusing her since she was 13 years old, according to media reports. Police have arrested 28 individuals in connection with the case so far.
The accused, who range from 17 to 47 years old, include the woman’s neighbors, sports coaches, and even her father’s friends, the BBC reported.
The woman came forward after a team of government-appointed counselors visited her home as part of a welfare program. Police have registered 18 cases under various Indian crime laws, including the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, which seeks to protect marginalized communities like Dalits from discrimination and violence.
The woman is associated with the Dalit community. Dalits, historically referred to as “untouchables,” occupy the lowest rung in India’s caste hierarchy and continue to face widespread discrimination despite legal safeguards.
The alleged abuse began when the survivor’s neighbor molested her and took explicit photographs of her. Over the years, the neighbor allegedly shared these materials with others, leading to further exploitation. Cases have also been filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), as the alleged abuse began when the victim was still a minor.
She was reportedly gang-raped three times in the past five years. The alleged abusers even used her father’s phone to contact her, and police are now using it to trace and identify additional suspects.
The woman, who is an athlete, may have faced further abuse during sports camps, a lawyer heading the district’s Child Welfare Committee (CWC) said.
The matter only came to light last month when the counseling team alerted the CWC after speaking with the survivor and her mother. Following this, the woman narrated her ordeal to a psychologist and was moved to a CWC-affiliated shelter for protection.
Police have deployed a 25-member team to investigate, and more arrests are expected as the probe deepens.