This study assesses the current situation concerning sexual violence against women in India and women's individual coping strategies. We conducted 15 semistructured interviews with 17- to 22-year-old Indian college students. First, results about the current situation showed threatening circumstances for women and revealed how deeply sexual violence affects women's lives. Second, to cope with sexual violence women mentioned three types of strategies, namely (a) safety, (b) avoidance, and (c) empowerment strategies. In the discussion, we suggest that women's use of safety and avoidance strategies are safety behaviors that play a key role in maintaining women's fear and societal dynamics.
Keywords: India; individual coping strategies; sexual violence; violence against women.