The Chhattisgarh High Court’s acquittal in a 2004 rape case, based on a narrow interpretation of penetration, represents a jarring setback to India’s progressive rape jurisprudence. The ruling reverts to pre-2013 law, undermining reforms that broadened Section 375, foregrounded consent, and adopted a dignity-centered approach to sexual violence. This decision risks reviving hyper-technical scrutiny that ignores lived harm and makes survivors vulnerable in patriarchal institutional setups. The author stresses that gender justice demands ongoing vigilance, legal reform responsive to contemporary realities, and a commitment to confronting harm in all its complexity, not just technical fidelity.