What’s the worst feeling ever? Feeling helpless? Wanting to end it, but can’t? A state of facing all the pains and assault of others, with no end. No way to fight back.
What sounded like hell was reality for 31-year-old Dr. Moumita Debnath, a second-year postgraduate student at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, India. On August 9, 2024, she fell victim to the growing number of thousands murdered and taken advantage of through rape. She had her life ended right before India’s 78th independence day.
After a long 36-hour shift at the hospital, Dr. Debnath needed to take some rest, however, the hospital’s infrastructure did not provide a safe place for doctors to take their break. She had dinner with her peers, and at around two in the morning she decided to rest in one of the seminar rooms at the hospital.
Unfortunately, things took a terrible turn when Dr. Debnath’s parents got a call from the hospital administrator that their child was not feeling well. The parents hurried to the hospital, and upon receiving another call, they were informed that their daughter had taken her own life. The hospital did not allow them to see her for possibly three hours. Her body was discovered carmine blood dripping and flowing slowly out of her eyes, mouth, and private parts. It was blatantly obvious that the hospital and the police were trying to cover up the crime.
The autopsy report itself was horrifying, and can be read with a simple internet search, though we will leave the horrific details out of this article. As millions of girls fall victim to rape every year, Dr. Moumita Debnath simply added to the statistic.
However this time it was different, it wasn’t just another case left to be forgotten. Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer, was identified as the main suspect in the rape and was arrested on August 10. Several others were also put under arrest, but police and hospital staff tried to cover it up. This was the catalyst needed to bring attention to a growing issue. Hundreds of people joined forces in a nationwide protest, including doctors across India, looking to bring reform to the country. Even now the streets of India are packed with people protesting and pressing the issues that women face regarding their security and safety in public. The incident left echoes across India and many other countries.
“We call upon all communities to be tolerant, to reject prejudice based on caste, creed, sect, color, religion or agenda to ensure freedom and equality for women so they can flourish. We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back,” Malala Yousafzai stated in The Guardian newspaper on July 12, 2013. But that was 12 years ago. Clearly the problem still exists.
It’s important for America to know about India’s rape cases, as sexual violence is a global problem that is constantly and consistently happening every day. According to World Population Review, around 35% of women worldwide have faced sexual harassment and about 40% have sought assistance, while less than 10% reported it to law enforcement. In addition, in the United States, rape is a serious problem and many causes have caused high levels of PTSD in victims and most of the attackers were someone the victims knew. Lots of women would rather end their lives than not be silent about what has happened to them.
From the moment we women enter the world, we often face changes that can feel overwhelming. Despite the countless burdens society places on us we continue to rise above with strength. The truth about these cases is that we give it attention and after a couple of weeks it vanishes like nothing happened, without knowing if justice was served. It occurs everywhere, at work, at school, on the street, the list doesn’t end. While reading this, roughly another 5 women fell victim to rape just now; as per data, every minute someone in the United States is sexually assaulted. The trauma of rape is like an aching pain that never fully leaves, and as we walk by others in stores, streets, malls, etc. Many of those people could have had their lives altered by a situation they could not fight back against.
If we leave everything to the government, when will every victim get justice? Countless women face workplace sexual assault as well, just like Dr. Debnath. As North Penn students we can raise awareness by organizing or participating in education campaigns that inform other students about consent, and healthy relationships. Next, creating a safe environment where survivors can share their experiences without fear of judgment. Communities can work together and help fundraisers for sexual assault. As we show support to each other it makes others feel comfortable and attackers afraid. Many countries including the U.S. can relate to rape cases in India and unequal gender issues.
When people in America are informed about what is happening in other countries, it helps to raise awareness and support to fight for women’s safety. By understanding these cases, America and other countries can work together to push for better laws, protections, and a safer world for women. No matter where it happens, learning about injustices happening in other countries reminds us that it’s everyone’s responsibility to protect every student in our school or anyone around us.
Citations
Kolkata doctor rape and murder: Everything you wanted to know – Healthcare Radius. (2024, August 17). Healthcare Radius. https://www.healthcareradius.in/awareness-and-promotion/kolkata-doctor-rape-and-murder-everything-you-wanted-to-know
Brutal rape and murder of doctor in India renews concerns of sexual violence against women. (2022). CNA.
World Population Review. (2020). Rape Statistics By Country 2020. Worldpopulationreview.com. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/rape-statistics-by-country
Vedanfh • Oct 17, 2024 at 12:32 pm
Good article, amazing this is getting the awareness it deserves
Gwen C • Oct 10, 2024 at 5:57 pm
Props to Chaity for raising awareness about this serious topic. We really should all think globally and act locally.