| Beti Bachao: Kolkata rape case is a momentous wake-up call for the nation Trigger warning. This article contains mention of rape. No, it’s not been a harrowing time for just doctors, or any particular field of work, or any specific gender. The brutal rape and murder of the 31-year-old female doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has left everyone numb. The details emerging by the day sent shockwaves across the nation, and our newsroom was no different. My colleagues were glued to the television set with a deafening silence, and it was a reminder of the Nirbhaya case, which took place 12 years back. Let that sink in. A crime of this nature has happened yet again, and that alone should be a matter of big shame. Watching her relatives address the media and reveal that they were initially told it was a suicide — I was left heartbroken. It seems, that while phones certainly became smarter with technological advancements, some among us have regressed and learnt nothing. As I started reading up on the stats, I was left sadder and disgusted. According to the 2021 annual report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 31,677 rape cases were registered across India, or an average of 86 cases daily, a rise from 2020 with 28,046 cases. Clearly, the outrage needs to be bigger and more ferocious. People were out on the roads in December 2012, furious that a girl was violated in the manner she was, and left to die on the roads of Delhi. Call me out if I am wrong please, but after the protests gained a lot of momentum, people slowly returned to their own lives and it seemed to have receded in the dark annals of history. What has changed in the past few years is social media being the go-to platform for voicing our opinions. As a part of digital activism, a trending hashtag is all it takes for something to go viral today. #KolkataDoctor and #BENGAL_HORROR are just two which have popped up on the Trending in India list on X. Instagram users on my feed have all penned how aghast they have been at the brutality of the crime. But enough with the hashtags. As a citizen, it is extremely crucial to take a time-sensitive action in this direction. While it is far too easy to blame the government — as a society, we need to step back and introspect as to where we're going wrong. From school education to workplace behaviour, each step of the ladder needs to be thoroughly reviewed. More than rape, what we now need to do is look into 'rape culture'. According to sociologist Patricia Yancey Martin, rape emerges from sexist attitudes, which are prevalent and normalised in society regularly, something that can be defined as 'rape culture'. While controlling a crime is impossible, it is important to be vigilant of any behaviour that may lead to assault on women. After all, the current laws on rape were shaped by age-long public movements spearheaded by vigilant citizens and feminist leaders. |
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