Indian woman victim of abusive marriage gets justice in US

Image
Press Trust of India Washington
Last Updated : Aug 14 2013 | 5:09 PM IST
An Indian-American has been found guilty by a US court of domestic violence, rape and sexual violence against his Indian wife.
The victim was forced to have sex with her husband Lakhvir Singh, 28 and do nearly round-the-clock household labour, police said.
She was routinely referred to as "b----" by her husband, uncle and aunt; and slapped and choked.
Her life was threatened, the Marion County Superior Court in Indianapolis was told. The victim barely ate and had to sleep on the floor without covers.
Last week, a jury found Singh guilty of criminal deviate conduct, domestic battery, rape, sexual battery and strangulation. He was found not guilty of another charge: promotion of human trafficking.
However, he also was acquitted on separate counts of rape, deviate sexual misconduct and sexual battery.
His sentencing is scheduled for Friday, and he faces six to 20 years in prison for the most serious charges.
"I want the maximum punishment and justice to be served," the victim told The Indianapolis Star. "I don't want this to happen to any other girl. My voice can finally be heard."
Singh's lawyer Jack Crawford, however, said the woman made up the allegations to get out of a marriage she didn't like and to secure a visa for victims of human trafficking.
"She was in a marriage where she did some things she didn't want to do and tried to get out of it," Crawford said. "The blame here lies with the parents for forcing them both into a marriage they did not want.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Aug 14 2013 | 5:09 PM IST

Next Story