Among the 500 (mostly rural) women that the authors of Dalit Women Speak Out (a study of the systemic violence that Dalit women face) interviewed, many spoke about the shocking practice of an upper-caste man raping a young Dalit bride on her wedding night. This rape and abuse continues throughout her life, where any upper-caste man can rape her any time he wants. When the husband of the woman sees the footwear of an upper-caste man outside his house, it is a sign and he must spend the night elsewhere. The sexual abuse of Dalit women, where upper-caste men feel entitled to a Dalit’s women body
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