Massive protests in India as women march to ‘reclaim streets’ after doctor’s brutal rape and murder

[IwantToRetire]

Tens of thousands of women took to the streets across India on Wednesday night in protest over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a prominent state-run hospital in West Bengal.

The largest of the protests took place in Kolkata itself, where women armed with placards, candles and the Indian national flag ushered in the country’s 78th Independence Day at midnight by demanding justice for the killing of the 31-year-old female resident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The doctor cannot be named due to India’s laws protecting the identity of rape victims, even in death. Her partially naked body was discovered by students last Friday morning, with an autopsy later confirming she had been sexually assaulted.

Women at the “Reclaim the Night” protest told The Independent that they wanted swift justice for the victim – some are calling for the perpetrator or perpetrators to be given the death penalty – but also a wider reckoning on violence against women and the safety of doctors in the country.

Riya Banerjee, a 22-year-old student, said she had walked more than 5km to take part in the protest after roads became impassable for traffic, as it was “important for everyone to step out of their comfort [zone] and raise their voices”.

https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/kolkata-protests-doctor-rape-murder-case-b2596664.html includes video of the march

Amazing women, kudos to them. I've got family in India, and the level of violence against women is off the scale.

I don't know what the purple face emoji means, I'm sorry.

A horrific crime, that poor young woman, but sadly its a common occurrence for women to be attacked, touched inappropriately, assaulted, but the vast majority never gets publicised.

I read about this a couple of days ago and wondered why it was not in the UK press. Sadly the post mortem results have been published in some Indian papers and its quite sickening to see what they have been allowed to report.

Just a short while before this happened a nurse was raped and murdered after finishing work going home.

I lived in India and have had problems, so much so I could only go out with either DH or another male, never on my own.

Did you watch the video with the male mob attacking the hospital? They trashed the emergency ward and broke into the women's hostel. What utter bastards. I'm unclear on their 'reasons' - the police chief seems to think it was to discredit the police?!

The protests were front page BBC, it was pretty widely reported on. And lots on social media.

Thanks for making a thread, OP. I didn't have the heart to do so. Words often seem so useless in the face of such horror. And it happens day in, day out. Males raping women, male violence.

Thinking of the victim and her family - surely something has to change? At least there has been an outcry.

Ridiculous. Reported the troll.

I work with women who are based in India. This is horrible to read. But I feel weirdly proud to see the pictures of the march

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8jlegg242no

Still going. More power to the women of India.

Absolutely hideous case - I read some of the details earlier. Suspected up to ten rapists and they completely brutalised her body. This is only one of several other prominent rape/gang-rape cases very recently in India. I really feel for the women and girls living there. How do they even START to address all the social issues which have fostered this culture of sexual violence?

Heard it on Woman’s Hour yesterday. Utterly horrific.

My heart swells for these women. All power to them!
Weeping at the horror Indian women have dealt with year on year decade on decade century on century.

The women and are girls that are taking a stand and protesting are so incredibly brave,I hope they get to know that there are many of us around the world that would stand with them.

That poor woman and her poor family and friends,I hope they catch the bastards and lock them up for life!

It didnt used to be the case. And there used to be, hopefully still are matriarchial cultures among indigenous tribes.
Louis Malle [he of Pretty Baby notoriety] made a mammoth multi part documentary back in the early 80s called Phantom India.
Fascinating and very eye opening.
And before patriarchal versions of Hinduism, there used to be a much healthier attitude to sex and women. And Sikkhism in theory and usually in practise sees women as equals but Muslismisms women hating enroach hasnt helped

According to mumsnet set of emojis it is sad.

ie I had not words but felt both sad and angry at the same time.

We should keep this thread trending

I hope they castrate them with a blunt rusty blade.
Then bury them alive up to their necks. Let the animals and heat finish them

Thanks The more people watch the videos the more the BBC will report on it

Its hard to comment in the UK as we have to rely of media coverage.

And the problem with that, is as usual they dont do consistent coverage, but just wait until there is a particularly horrific event, but it is clear that it is happening regularly.

But the UK media never talks about those campaigning, or legislation etc..

If this web site is to be believed, India isn't even one of the 10 worst countries for record of rape. But strangely UK media doesn't report incidents of rape in other countries in the same way.
https://www.tbsnews.net/world/countries-highest-rape-incidents-144499

And this web site adjusts figures to number of population
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/rape-statistics-by-country

India struggles with high rape cases, low conviction rates
https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-struggles-with-high-rape-cases-low-conviction-rates-2024-08-15/

"One of the factors would be the absence of fear of the law," she told Reuters.

"There is no consistent application of the law, that's one aspect. There is very poor policing, that's another aspect."

Conviction rates for rape ranged between 27%-28% from 2018-2022, according to NCRB data.

Over much of that time, that was second lowest rate recorded for five serious crimes, also including murder, kidnapping, rioting and causing grievous hurt.

In Britain, by comparison, the conviction rate for cases linked to rape was 60.2% in FY2023-24 and 63.5% the year earlier, according to Crown Prosecution Service data.

In Canada, 42% of all sexual assault case decisions in adult criminal courts resulted in a finding of guilt in 2016-17, the Department of Justice said. That figure had been stable over the preceding 10 years

Full article can be read at https://archive.is/xvf2K

The women and are girls that are taking a stand and protesting are so incredibly brave,I hope they get to know that there are many of us around the world that would stand with them.

Yes, definitely.

I just wrote to the Indian Tourist Board expressing my feelings about this.
[email protected]

This has also been reported in The Times. Doctors will strike.

https://www.thetimes.com/article/27084455-70f0-450e-a4bf-7320fbc3c7d2?shareToken=7a46ab408201a25f45ee0a34d5c9e944