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

Conviction rates (for cases brought to trial) aren't always the best measure - because some countries want conviction rates to look good, so they avoid sending cases to trial where they don't have a very very good chance of conviction. So the rate of conviction of cases brought to trial might be 60% but if CPS is rejecting 90% of cases the actual conviction rate for a actual rapes reported is much lower. So people don't bother reporting causing the conviction rate for actual rapes committed to be lower still.

The case in India was so awful it stood out e en against the background noise of consistent sexual violence. Why the hell didn't the police even bother finding the other perpetrators given the clear evidence they existed.

INDIAN TOURIST BOARD email [email protected]
India wants tourism, we are in a position of leverage via external pressure.
I have written to them pointing out that none of my family will be visiting till they take womens safety seriously.

Its no good bemoaning their fates unless we are prepared to make a tiny effort to help
Ditto Iran

It's awful. I knew sexual violence was appalling on the streets of India. And the public transport. But she was at work. She was in a hospital. She was brutalised and murdered in a hospital. Nowhere is safe.

India is known for extreme violence against girls and women. Multiple cases of gang rapes, torture and brutal killings. They see women as second class citizen.

Writing to the tourism board is a good plan. I know that I'd think twice about visiting given the reputation for violence against women.

I think you will find horrible as it is to do comparisons, but South Africa is worse, but the UK media chooses not to report it.

Even if the media reports news you want to hear, never think they are doing it for the same reason you want to know about it.

Although C4 Unreported World they were talking about 10 year girls in South America being kidnapped to be prostituted to male tourists.

@IwantToRetire I didn't know about South Africa. If I had a magic wand, I'd have made women invincible.

All power to the women of India. There’s ann excellent documentary called India’s Daughter about that famous case of the young women gang raped and murdered on a bus.
The most enraging part of the documentary is the interviews with men. To summarise. If a women puts herself in a vulnerable position she is completely to blame for anything men to do to her. The defending lawyer for the filth who murdered Jyoti Singh actually said ‘It takes two hands to clap’.
India tried to ban and block the documentary after it went viral. Their law doesn’t even allow Jyoti to be named in the movie. I suppose rape is seen as something so shameful for women that they need to be protected by men from being identified. Jyoti’s parents talk openly though.
I have actually cancelled plans for a trip to India since I saw that documentary. I have been there twice before and it remains the only country where I have been repeatedly physically groped.
Thank you for raising this topic.

Well done. I'll do the same. The link doesn't seem to be working. Can I be really cheeky and ask you to repost it AND for a copy of what you said in your letter to adapt? I've got fatigue issues and my brain has gone to mush.

Brave women of India.

I found this address for the Indian Ministry of Tourism.

https://tourism.gov.in/contact-us

Email is: [email protected]

A letter doesn't need to be long.

'As a woman who has long wanted to visit India, can you assure me that it is a safe country for me to visit? The sexual violence of males seems to be endemic, and frightening.

I could not visit a country that appears to be so dangerous for women. What is being done to ensure the safety of women?'

Or something to that effect.

I don't know if that's the best organisation to write to. I'll keep looking and try to think of others that might be worth writing to.

This is the function of the MoT:

https://tourism.gov.in/about-us-ministry-tourism/role-and-functions-ministry

There's also the High Commission of India:

https://www.hcilondon.gov.in/page-link/?page=contact

Appalling. Well done to the courageous women protesting and how appalling that there are worse places. Misogyny is rife.

Thanks so much, Arabella (and Omlettes for the nudge). I think I will send it to the High Commissioner. And you're right, I should keep it simple.

This is my first draft effort, intending to send it to the High Commissioner. I really don't want to sound the wrong note. Please give honest feedback.

Dear (name and required honorifics)
I was very distressed to read about the young doctor who was raped and killed in the hospital in Kolkata. She is just the latest woman in India to be attacked or sexually assaulted.

I have always admired the ancient and rich culture of India but the country appears to have become so dangerous for women. What is being done to ensure the safety of women? The sexual violence of males occurs everywhere of course, including here in the UK, but it does seem to be endemic and increasing in India.

I salute the courage and determination of the women who are on the Reclaim the Night protest to honour the pain and suffering of the doctor and her family and demand justice for her and all the other victims of male sexual violence. I hope you will encourage your government to take their anger seriously and recognise the damage that the repeated incidence of this kind of crime is doing to the image of your wonderful country.

Thanks for your attention

Snowypeaks

That looks good to me, Snowy.

https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/kolkata/rimjhim-sinha-a-social-science-researcher-first-voice-that-gave-the-reclaim-call/cid/2041066

Rimjhim Sinha is the woman who started the latest wave of 'Reclaim the Night' protests.

Such awful news. Hardly made it here in the UK. Those brave women protesting - again.
The government in power - the BJP - are Hindu Nationalists who have no interest whatsoever in women's rights or safety. This is not the first incident of a horrific rape but perpetrators are often supported by their community, with pleas they should not have their lives ruined because they raped a woman who was obviously asking for it as she was out on her own, or with a friend, not her DF or DH or DB. Truly, this is put forward as an argument for leniency or for early release and the government supports it. Sickening lot.
My DS and DD have family in India and this impinges on the lives of their cousins, and of people I know. All power to the women of India.

Thankyou for sharing - this didn't come up in my newsfeed so I've clicked on all the links to get them more prominence.
Brilliant wirk from these women - I hope the movement continues to grow.
When will men start to control themselves? Good men need to start to expect good attitudes and conduct from their friends associates and colleagues. They should call out misogynistic behaviour and challenge it when they see it.
Global corporations should run training on it and go zero tolerance among their staff- make it a gross misconduct sackable offence.
Media sources should name and shame offenders, create negative buzz around these disgusting men who promote that horrendous dangerous culture.
Women should encourage this from all those around them - women cant change a men's culture, they can only do it themselves with support from women and others.

Female medical workers in India have revealed how they are forced to change in doctors’ offices and feel “too traumatised” to work following the brutal rape and killing of a 31-year-old doctor that has shocked the nation.

“The horrific incident has shocked us beyond limits as it is impossible to think about any such crime happening inside the hospital.”

“We work tirelessly in hospitals, especially the government run with bare minimum facilities to save human lives but this is what we get in return.”

“We have no separate toilets, changing rooms and rest rooms. We have to often change our clothes in doctors’ rooms and even in makeshift rooms with malfunctioning locks. The situation is such that one has to stand outside the gate and other girls change their clothes inside. We work in terrible condition for a profession which is considered noble but what about our safety”

Full article here https://inews.co.uk/news/world/no-toilets-rest-indias-female-doctors-protest-conditions-3233325

Or can be read here https://archive.is/l2vXK

My heart is breaking for the doctor and her family. She was just trying to rest after working a massive shift helping people.

The men who did this also covered it up and the story details emerging are getting worse and worse. Thank goodness India is standing up and protesting.

It makes me feel afraid of the world,

Posters may be surprised to know that the chief minister of West Bengal where the rape took place, is a woman. Mamta Banerjee. And not BJP.

This is an issue that transcends all parties.

You dont have to use it as a link, its an email address as well.
No you cant have a copy of what I said, but I told them that my family and I
were horrified at this case and all those like it.
That however beautiful your country such levels of unchallenged misogyny means our travel plans will now never include India, and that I will be encouraging my friends to follow suit.
Hope that helps

I am of Indian heritage, travel widely in India as does my family, and I can tell you nobody will be checking that email or care. Sorry.
This is a vastly complex issue. Indeed, the Kolkata rape looks likely to be an act of revenge against a whistle-blower. Not that that makes it any less horrific.