Lockdown in India means so many more women are at risk. But I take hope from their strength

As lockdown results in spikes in domestic violence globally, women need our help now more than ever. Sarika Sinha writes

In India, one rape is reported every 15 minutes and countless more go uncounted (Samyamoy Debnath/ActionAid)

A total of 1.3 billion people are currently in lockdown in India and, as with most other places around the world, the virus is causing huge disruption. I live in a city called Bhopal in the centre of the country and manage the Gauravi centre which provides emotional, economic and legal support to survivors of violence.

Women in India face extremely high levels of violence including domestic abuse, rape, harassment, acid attacks and “honour killings”. One rape is reported every 15 minutes on average, and countless more are committed. This violence is also closer to home than many might think – because with the vast majority of reported rapes, the survivors know their rapist. As lockdown results in spikes in domestic violence globally, the vital help we’re providing is needed now more than ever.

Alongside rises in violence, the food crisis caused by lockdown is also a huge problem here. There are now many, many migrant workers in jobs like construction, agriculture, garment making, mining and domestic labour who have lost their jobs overnight. As informal workers, they don’t have protection from their employers and if they don’t work, they simply don’t eat and they are facing starvation.