India, Jan. 26 -- Delhi's Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD) Secretary Rashmi Singh said violence against girls must be understood beyond physical harm, asserting that mental and emotional abuse can go unnoticed but leave "deep scars".

Singh was speaking at the pre-launch of 'Zidd: Voices of Resistance', a book inspired by real-life experiences of adolescent girls who speak up, resist and question everyday violence, according to a statement. The event was hosted on Friday by the Mukka Maar NGO at the YMCA Auditorium in New Delhi, which saw officials, activists and educators marking the National Girl Child Day, it said. The launch was followed by a panel discussion centred on the question 'Are our institutions ready when gir...