An Indian woman described how she was routinely sexually assaulted as part of a socially accepted Hindu practice called “Devadasi,” which involves parents coercing their young daughters into an elaborate wedding ritual with a Hindu deity followed by a life of prostitution.
An Indian woman described how she was routinely sexually assaulted as part of a socially accepted Hindu practice called “Devadasi,” which involves parents coercing their young daughters into an elaborate wedding ritual with a Hindu deity followed by a life of prostitution.
BELGAUM, India: Dedicated to an Indian goddess as a child, Huvakka Bhimappa's years of sexual servitude began when her uncle took her virginity, raping her in exchange for a saree and some jewellery.
Devadasis are expected to live a life of religious devotion, forbidden from marrying other mortals, and forced at puberty to sacrifice their virginity to an older man, in return for money or gifts.