It was a crime that shocked a nation, sparking national protests which still continue today. The violent rape and murder of a female Indian student in Delhi has caused questions to be asked about attitudes to women within India, as well as a call for laws that allow women more protection from sexual harassment. The victims attackers have now been charged and are due to face trial, amid claims that the police did not act decisively in responding to the rape and delayed getting the victim and her companion to hospital. In a country with deep rooted attitudes towards women and sexual violence, such a horrific incident has had a profound affect, causing many to emphasise a need for change in the way in which women are treated.
On the 16th December, the 23 year old student and a male friend alleged to be her fiancé were returning from watching a film when they boarded a bus in Delhi’s Saket area. Abused for being out with a man who wasn’t her husband, the woman was then continually gang raped and both she and her compnanion were beaten with an iron bar in an ordeal which lasted for over an hour, whilst the bus drove through the streets of Delhi, tinted windows and curtains preventing the attack from being seen by anyone outside the bus. After being flown to Singapore’s Mount Elizabeth Hospital for further treatment, the victim tragically passed away days later. The chief executive of the hospital, Mr Loh, spoke of a courageous young woman, “fighting for her life for so long against the odds but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome”. As part of her treatment, she underwent operations to remove 95% of her intestines due to injuries inflicted by the iron rod, however managed to give statements to the police and maintained a strong desire to see her attackers prosecuted.
The 23 year old, who has been given the name ‘Nirbhaya’, meaning fearless one, was training to be a doctor. Her family have spoken of a hard-working and dedicated young woman, hoping to one day repay her family for their sacrifices in helping to fund her education – for example, in their sale of ancestral land to allow her to continue her studies. Her father told the BBC: “I remember asking her once, who are your friends? And she replied, ‘Dad, it’s only my books I am friends with’”.
The horrific nature of the attack has generated widespread anger throughout India, with many taking to the streets to protest against the treatment of women in a country in which rape is often seen as the fault of the victim. Demands for tougher laws on sexual violence have been made, and officials have ordered more police night patrols, checks on bus drivers and their assistants, and the banning of buses with tinted windows or curtains. Candlelit vigils and peaceful demonstrations have been held in the victims honour, whilst many New Year parties were cancelled or scaled down in a mark of respect. However in a country where 24,206 rape cases were registered in 2011 alone, and even politicians seem to express beliefs that rape is sometimes the fault of the woman, change may not come easily.
In Delhi alone, according to official figures, a woman is raped every 14 hours. A 1/3 of cases end in conviction, however campaigners argue that only 1 in 50 rapes are reported. Since the attack, it has been announced that the 166 police stations of Delhi are to be equipped with more female police officers – something many were previously lacking. However it is also crucial that attitudes towards rape are changed. Indian magazine Tehelka reported last year that of 30 senior police officers in New Delhi, half of them held the opinion that many rape victims in the city were either willing, or prostitutes angry at not being paid. The stigma of rape can affect not only the victim but also her family, reducing relatives chances of marriage, for example. India is no stranger to sexual harassment and violence – last year, a teenage girl committed suicide after being gang raped, before it was suggested that she either marry one of her attackers or accept a cash settlement, according to her sister. However it is the brutality and public nature of this latest attack which appears to have inspired so many to take up the victim’s case. Nilanjana Roy told The Telegraph that “this girl was blameless – she was not dancing in a club, she had gone to a movie”.
Dr Singh, India’s Prime Minister, has said that the public response to the incident is a “perfectly understandable reaction from a young India and an India that genuinely desires change.” This change is clearly seen as necessary: whether or not the government and the people are able to see it implemented, only time will tell. However, with many seeing the attack as a turning point, the debate over women’s rights and treatment shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
Image Credits: cba.ca, thetimes.co.uk, theguardian.co.uk, theaustralian.com.au