On 6th March, Plan UK, BHRC and Doughty Street Chambers held a special screening of the ground breaking film India’s Daughter, which tells the story of the brutal gang rape and murder of Jyoti Singh in Delhi in 2012, exposing the attitudes to women which allowed it to happen. The film powerfully explores the wider social reasons behind the prevalence of sexual violence and shows that through the biggest mass mobilisation in India since independence, millions of Indians were no longer prepared to see their daughters abused.
One of the more extraordinary aspects of the film is an in depth interview with one of the rapists in this case, when the film-maker was allowed unprecedented access to film with him in Tihar jail. The film also exposes the conduct of the defence lawyers; one states: “We have the best culture. In our culture there is no place for a woman”.
Chaired by Kirsty Brimelow QC, Chair of the Bar Human Rights Committee and barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, the screening was followed by a panel discussion with the Director-Producer Leslee Udwin; Dr Maria Misra, Lecturer in Modern History, University of Oxford and Fellow of Keble College; Alistair McDonald QC, Chairman of the Bar Council; Kathy Lette, author and Tanya Barron, CEO, Plan UK.
Watch the panel discussion here.
