Interpreting public sentiment on rape in India through online narratives on YouTube

Sexual violence remains a significant social and criminal justice concern in India. According to the National Crime Records Bureau [ 41 ], 29,536 rape cases were recorded in India in 2024, with Rajasthan reporting the highest number among the states listed in Table 1. Beyond official crime statistics, understanding how the public responds to rape-related events can provide insight into attitudes, concerns, and social narratives surrounding sexual violence. The present study examines public sentiment expressed through comments on 26 YouTube videos concerning real-life rape cases in India. The comments were analysed using qualitative content analysis supported by descriptive sentiment analysis and co-occurrence analysis. Five dominant themes were identified: justice and public distrust in legal institutions; victim-blaming and gendered social attitudes; media and social influences; emotional responses and survivor support; and religious and communal narratives. Negative sentiment predominated across the analysed comments, with recurring discussions concerning false accusations, gender inequality, justice, punishment, and dissatisfaction with aspects of the criminal justice system. At the same time, comments expressing empathy, survivor support, and demands for accountability were also evident. The findings indicate that YouTube comment spaces function not only as sites of emotional expression but also as spaces in which users articulate views about gender, justice, victimisation, and institutional responses to rape. The study contributes to understanding digitally expressed public discourse on rape in India and identifies implications for victim-support initiatives, gender-sensitive education, and public awareness interventions.