INVISIBLE VICTIMS: LEGAL INVISIBILISATION OF MALE SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL OFFENCES IN INDIA – A CONSTITUTIONAL AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS.

Authors:

N.H. Arunadevi¹, Uma S. Priya²

¹student,V BBA LLB(Hons),school of law,Vels Institute of Science,technology and Advanced studies (VISTAS), Chennai-17.

² Assistant professor (Law),school of law,Vels Institute of Science,technology and Advanced studies (VISTAS), Chennai-17.

Abstract - Sex crimes revolve around attacks on one and his body, dignity, and freedom. The old system of the Indian judiciary has always exhibited sexism in its nature with the women always at the receiving end and the men at the sending end and thus there is no chance of equality of genders. It has been used to ensure that the perpetrators of violence on the women subjected to violence ensure that male victims go undetected within the justice system though it might have played a critical role in educating the society about violence against women. This study examines the issue of ostracism of men as victims of sexual harassment legislation in India, namely in the workplace (the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023). Based on the edge case and comparative analysis, the current work analyzes the constitutional interest in responding to such exclusion, considering Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India. It also provides a comparison of the legal systems of some countries such as; Australia, South Africa, Canada and the UK. The article reasons that statutes aimed at sexual offences depending on the gender of an individual result in subjective characters as well as negate fundamental rights to equality and respectability. It wraps up by pointing out the necessity of the multi-faceted, gender-neutral, and victim-centered changes to the laws in India that is designed to provide justice to everyone.

Key words: sexual crimes, gender-neutral laws, legal invisibilisation, Male victimisation, constitutional equality, India