The Court distinguished between a false promise of marriage and one made in good faith but not fulfilled -- but the law tells a sobering story of patriarchy in India.

"Every woman expects ‘respect’ in a relationship, be it in the nature of friendship based on mutual affection," the court observed.

The court refused to quash criminal proceedings against him under charges of rape and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The court ruled in the case of a man convicted for non-consensual sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl he was in a relationship with.

Media reports highlight the education and economic background of the habitual offender, saying he's from an "upper middle-class family."

Even if the "law does not recognize marital rape under penal law, it does not inhibit the court from recognizing the same as a form of cruelty," the bench said.

If an act provides sexual gratification similar to that of penetrative sex, it will be termed as 'rape' under the Indian Penal Code, the bench said.

“The family was intimidated by the police... the police repeatedly questioned and harassed them,” a resident said in a report.

The present law is inadequate to deal with heinous offenses committed by persons below the age of 16, the court said.

The former Tehelka editor should get the "benefit of doubt" because of new facts, the court said.

Attacks on oppressed-caste women and children have increased by 15% over the last three years, the panel noted.

The court rejected the bail plea of news anchor Varun Hiremath, who allegedly raped a 22-year-old woman.

The ruling and related guidelines aim to prevent both purposeful, or accidental, identification of rape survivors.

The Lahore High Court referenced previous Indian judgments in calling for an end to the abusive practice.

The agency's findings support the public outrage over what is widely perceived as a cover-up.

“Now it will be clear, that if both parties do not consent to sex, then it’s rape,” says the country's justice minister.

The misguided move is a knee-jerk attempt to placate public outrage over a gang-rape outside Lahore.

This is not the first time dominant castes have used sexual violence as a means to wield power over Dalit women's bodies.