I'm of the opinion that rapes have always been going on throughout the country. What's changed is that after the gang rape in December, such cases are just being reported more widely. Police were reluctant to file rape cases on the first place, and would instead find ways to avoid filing them. Not to mention, victim's themselves would refrain from reporting rape so that their dignity is not lost within society.
Sex crimes in India is probably the worst compared to any other type of crime. Especially against minors. Lots of cases where minor girls and mentally handicapped girls are sexually abused by their own family members. India is IMO one of the worst places to be a girl/woman right now.
PS: Only a cruel god would sit back and watch this with indifference and do nothing about it, or even worse, create a divine plan where these girls get raped and killed so brutally. I'd rather believe such a god didn't exist.