Hyderabad, July 4 -- By Sahiba Meher and Moumita Barman

Imagine this: a 17-year-old boy is sexually assaulted. Under India's Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he is recognised as a victim. The law sees him, and protects him, and offers a path to justice. One year later, on his 18th birthday when the exact same act of violence occurs, the law suddenly turns its back. His suffering is rendered invisible. His perpetrator walks free.

This is not dystopian fiction; it is the harsh reality under India's new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Replacing the 164-year-old Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Press Information Bureau proudly declared the BNS as "gender-neutral," yet, despite the attempts to become progressive, th...