Indian rape victim has died

[xkittyx]

Sadly just seen on Al Jazeera that the poor woman who was raped and assaulted earlier in December has died.

[Cailleach]

..and now the more recent victim has died, too.

What a world we live in...

[Ponders]

after what was done to her (the second one, I don't know about the first) it's probably - sadly - better that she died...

but, good grief, what is wrong with those men, to do that to her???

[Lessthanaballpark]

I feel so sad. I simply can't imagine what that poor woman must have gone through in those awful moments that ended her life. And I can't imagine how those men could enjoy inflicting such pain on another human being.

I'm glad to see people coming together to stand up against it, and I hope the Indian authorities do something to protect their women, but it makes me so angry that such a heinous crime has to happen before they sit up and take notice.

[ripsishere]

I am gutted. I honestly, and probably stupidly though that heinous crime would bring about some change.
I also, naively thought that going to Singapore would enhance her chances of a full survival and recovery.
Poor poor woman. RIP.

[EnjoyResponsibly]

Poor girl.

I pray for her family in their hideous grief.

I am uplifted bŷ the images of young Indians protesting against violence toward women.

The Indian government must surely act.

[funnyperson]

This 23 year old student was raped having gone to see the 'Life of Pi' at a very popular upmarket cinema in Delhi, returning at 9 pm back home to a middle class area with her civil engineer boyfriend. The moving bus passed 3 police checkpoints while she was being gang raped and the rusty dirty jack used to change tyres was inserted in her 'because she resisted' causing her guts to spill out. Her boyfriend (also attacked and badly injured) and her were thrown off the moving bus naked and injured.
The national outrage is totally justified. This lady could have been anyone's sister or daughter in India.
The crime comes after a decade of constant sexual assault by ordinary young men on most young ladies in Delhi buses, aka 'eve teasing'. Male attitudes accepting this continuing level of outrage are so entrenched that even in this terrible case, the presidents son, and members of parliament of every party have expressed sexist remarks. Luckily the president's daughter rebuked her brother. The Mayor of Delhi said it was 'OK'. A Rajasthan State Assembly member suggested this week that girls in Jaipur do not wear skirts for school uniform. The 21st century Indian male psyche needs to change.
Because rape allegations are not pursued by the police, because sexual assault and rape are not seen as the fault of the male, this case has inspired widespread protest. Enough is enough. The young girls of India and their brothers and fathers and mothers are determined that this should not happen again, and that students must be able in future to see a film and board a bus home in safety.
This courageous young lady, who survived to give admissible evidence, will not have died in vain.
Her case and the support for her have ensured that the perpetrators have been caught and will ensure that Delhi police and Indian police elsewhere will never again ignore rape victims' need for justice. India will be a safer country.
She was transported to Singapore at govt expense due to the protests causing practically a state of emergency in Delhi with the death of a police officer.

[Bossybritches22]

Poor brave girl

[funnyperson]

The police have also come under scrutiny and criticism for hitting peaceful protesters with batons and subjecting them to water cannon. In the world's largest democracy, protest is seen as the national right.

From the prime ministers' viewpoint the protests are an embarrassment and a nuisance as they coincide with a Putin visit, causing disruption to travel and the central secretariat in Delhi. Sonia Gandhi here is not coming across as her usual decisive self. This movement is necessary and vital for change and it is coming from the young people of both sexes- you can see that girls have sent their brothers out - and I whole heartedly support it.

[Itsjustmeanon]

I feel so sad and disgusted about this. I hope change happens.

[Masai]

As a pakistani and Indian woman this sexist nature that our men have is nothing new. I've seen it first hand growing up. Boys are elevated to Godlike status within families and women even if very well educated (I'm from a family of Doctors, lawyers etc) are still second rate. It sickens me beyond belief that I'm often talked down to and treated as if my opinion is less valid and my uneducated brother who cant hold down a job or relationship is seen as the golden child.



The majority of asian men treat women like dogshit. And thats a fact.
Most of them are not very attractive yet demand that mummy finds them a drop dead gorgeous fair skinned bride from back home thats malleable. Racism and sexism is rife in our culture.

The roots lie in a vicious patriarchal system thats been there for hundreds of years. And it ain't ever gonna change.

It matters not one jot how cultured, urbane or westernised they seem to you. Behind the closed doors in an asian family the woman is expected to know her place.

[zombiemum]

Masai

Sadly, I agree with everything you have said.

It is horrific in the extreme what that poor girl was subjected to.

[funnyperson]

Actually I disagree with Masai lots of Asian men are lovely even behind closed doors. In our family the ladies always have the last word, and the men do equal washing up and cooking.

[funnyperson]

In fact its English men wo habe always seemed very sexist to us.

[funnyperson]

who have

[PacificDogwood]

I am a bit surprised that this case did not create more waves on MN tbh.
I read in a German newspaper that something like 55000 rapes were reported in India every year which is considered to be the tip of the iceberg. Apparently 94% of these attacks are committed by fathers/brother/uncles/other family member. Often the girl/woman in question is then punished as her honour is destroyed.

Mad world or what?

[PacificDogwood]

866 female live births vs 1000 male in urban areas in India.
No gender selection prenatally of course .

[xkittyx]

I'm surprised as well that it's not seen more traffic on here. Nothing even in Feminism apart from a petition posted with barely any responses.
What happened is beyond horrific in itself and from what I've been reading is the tip of a dreadful iceberg of abuse and harrassment of women on a massive scale in India.
I wonder if the case is so horrific that it's horrible to think or talk about? I kept thinking about the poor woman a few days ago and actually felt a bit shaky and in shock.
Depressingly, I suspect that far from being a one-off this was just the case that made the news.

[ripsishere]

Agree xkitty.
I've just seen in our daily newspaper that there isn't a lawyer prepared to represent any of the men who have been charged.
It's a start.

[funnyperson]

Though it is important that they get a fair trial, which is one reason why the prosecution has been at pains to gather evidence.

It is not hard to explain why this case is so shocking and perhaps there is silence because it needs no explanation. All women everywhere should be able to go home safely having watched a film. There are few who will think otherwise, and especially in Delhi and in India where film going is a core activity which every person in every village and town expects to be able to do. The cinema in Saket is one of Delhi's most modern and well regarded- a place where everyone might expect to go safely- fabulously comfortable clean seats, nice food , spotless place, dolby surround sound, large screen etc, not cheap. The girl could have been anyone's daughter in that aspiring country.

The other reason there is silence is the waiting- all the citizens of Delhi are waiting sombrely for the legal sentence. In this country of non -violence although the death sentence is legal it is rarely implemented. yet few doubt that it will be implemented in this case. Schools have been closed till Jan 12th 'because of the cold'.

The risk of mobs lynching the police (one police officer has already died) who have been percieved to be colluders, or men on buses is very real. The risk of ladies being molested in the run up to the case is very real. Delhi is in lockdown.With reason. This is no Taliban or burqua country-this is a large and proud democracy where women voters outnumber the men.

[funnyperson]

There is also the question of how this case will affect aspiring families. Indians have always been willing to support the girls being educated. But if this case affects family perceptions of the safety of a daughter gone away to study then that trend could be reversed, and this would be a very unfortunate step backwards for the country.

There is also the question of buses which ply a trade outside of their normal contract and license. The double economy of India. An elephant too large to bite.

[LadyMaryChristmas]

Poor young women. 2013 and things like this still happen. I'm surprised there isn't more posts on this thread.

[funnyperson]

Here is an interesting link
www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/conquering-the-fear-of-the-setting-sun/article4269936.ece?homepage=true

[nethunsreject]

Absolutely shocking case; sadly far from unique.

Hope it may lead to some changes in societal attitudes.

I also hope that us westerners bear in mind that we are not a lot further forward really, as many people who have reported sexual abuse, assault or rape will know.

[funnyperson]

Do you think there are few posts because people feel it is the sort of thing which simply wouldn't happen in England?
Yet I remember a thread not so long ago about a young girl who was raped within yards of her mother waiting to pick her up in the car because she didn't have the £2 for the bus fare home. It was never clear whether the rapist was sentenced.