Samjhauta as Reporting and Witnessing

Content Warning: This article discusses sensitive topics including gender-based violence, molestation, domestic abuse, dowry-related violence, systemic oppression, and police misconduct. Reader discretion is advised.       Samjhauta (Noun). Conciliation, Transaction Deal, Accord, Trade-off If you type “samjhauta” into the search bar on the Khabar Lahariya website, you’ll find nearly 23 pages of news stories, investigative reports, survivors’ accounts, and editorial features—all centred on this deeply ingrained practice.  For over 23 years, Khabar Lahariya reporters have been documenting samjhauta, a common yet complex response to gender-based violence, creating a living and ever-expanding archive. The term is part of the everyday vocabulary of survivors, families of the deceased, and the reporters who bring these stories to light. But what does this word really mean?