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The Current

Sexual violence survivors take centre stage in 'Nirbhaya'

"Nirbhaya" is a new play named after the victim of a notorious gang rape in Delhi in 2012. In it, a cast of women, all real-life survivors of sexual assault, tell their stories on stage to encourage others to break their silence and end sexual violence around the world.
CBC Radio ·
Indians place candles as they remember the gang rape and murder of a young woman in New Delhi, India. The victim, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student, was heading home with a male friend after an evening showing of the movie "Life of Pi" when six men lured them onto a private bus. With no one else in sight, they beat the man with a metal bar, raped the woman and used the bar to inflict massive internal injuries. Placard in center reads, "Nirbhaya, or fearless, a name given to the victim by the media, salute to your fight". (The Associated Press)

In 2012, in Delhi, India, a woman was beaten and gang raped and later died from her injuries. The woman, whose name was Jyoti Singh Pandey, became widely known by the name "Nirbhaya", which means fearless.

"Nirbhaya" is also the name of a play that is inspired by Jyoti Singh Pandey. In it, a cast of women, all real-life survivors of sexual assault, tell their stories on stage to encourage others to break their silence and end sexual violence around the world.

  • Poorna Jagannathan is a producer and actor in Nirbhaya. She was with us in our Toronto studio.
  • Yaël Farber is the writer and director of the play. She was in our Montreal Studio.

Nirbhaya is currently on tour. Its run has recently finished in Vancouver, and is now playing in Toronto. You can find more information on their website.

This segment was produced by The Current's Julian Uzielli.

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