The recent rape and murder of a 31-year-old female doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata has sent shockwaves across India, reigniting the national conversation about the pervasive issue of sexual violence. The brutality of the crime, compounded by emerging suspicions of a broader conspiracy, has ignited widespread protests and demands for justice. This tragic event is not an isolated incident but rather part of a grim pattern of sexual violence that continues to plague India, highlighting systemic failures to protect women and hold perpetrators accountable.
The Tragic Incident: A Doctor’s Life Cut Short
On August 9, 2024, the body of a young trainee doctor was discovered in a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College, a prominent government teaching hospital in Kolkata. Initially, hospital authorities informed the victim's parents that she had committed suicide. However, an autopsy later confirmed that she had been brutally raped and murdered. The gruesome nature of the crime, combined with the institution's initial attempt to obscure the truth, sparked outrage among medical professionals, activists, and the general public.
Protests erupted nationwide, with doctors and feminist groups taking to the streets to demand justice for the victim.
In Kolkata, where the crime occurred, feminist organizations held “Reclaim the Night” marches, calling for the resignation of the college principal and stronger measures to protect women and medical professionals. The protests quickly spread to other cities, including New Delhi, Patna, and Lucknow, underscoring the national resonance of the case.
Uncovering the Conspiracy: More Than Just a Crime
As the investigation unfolded, disturbing details emerged suggesting that the crime was not a random act of violence but part of a larger conspiracy. Colleagues of the victim revealed that she had been under immense work pressure, including a grueling 36-hour shift, which may have made her vulnerable to attack. Moreover, there were indications that the victim had been targeted due to her knowledge of illicit activities within the hospital.
One colleague suggested that the accused, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with unrestricted access to the hospital, might have been involved in a plot orchestrated by more powerful individuals. This theory gained traction when it was revealed that the victim had been investigating a possible drug siphoning racket within her department.
The possibility that she was silenced for knowing too much has raised serious questions about the extent of corruption and the lengths to which those involved might go to protect their interests.
The victim’s parents have also expressed doubts about the official account of the crime, suspecting that their daughter may have been murdered elsewhere and her body placed in the seminar hall to mislead investigators. These suspicions were further fueled by reports of recent renovations near the crime scene, which some believe were carried out to destroy crucial evidence.
A Broader Crisis: The Rape Culture in India
The Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder is a harrowing reminder of the deep-rooted rape culture that persists in India. Despite the implementation of stricter laws following the infamous Nirbhaya case in 2012, sexual violence remains rampant. Nirbhaya, a 22-year-old physiotherapy student, was gang-raped and murdered on a bus in Delhi—a crime so brutal that it shocked the nation and led to widespread protests. The case resulted in significant legal reforms, including harsher penalties for rapists and the establishment of fast-track courts for rape cases.
Yet, the story of sexual violence in India is far from over. On March 1, 2023, a Spanish tourist was brutally gang-raped in the Dumka district of Jharkhand while camping with her husband. The couple, who had been traveling the world on their motorcycles, had set up camp after failing to find a hotel.
The woman, who has joint Brazilian-Spanish nationality, recounted the horrific ordeal, stating that the attackers took turns raping her while others watched. This incident, combined with the gang rape of a 21-year-old stage performer in Jharkhand shortly after and another incident involving a 17-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh, highlights the alarming regularity and severity of sexual violence in India.
Today, a woman is raped every 18 minutes on average in India. This shocking statistic emphasizes the seriousness of the problem and the ongoing lack of success in resolving it. Even though India has implemented stricter laws surrounding sexual assault and established fast-track courts to reduce the backlog of cases, crime statistics indicate that the situation has only worsened.
New Delhi, the capital of India, reported a 19 percent rise in sexual violence against women, with the number of rapes climbing from 6,747 in 2021 to 7,887 cases by the end of July 2022 alone.
This increase is largely explained by the country’s perpetuation of a culture based on gender inequality and male entitlement, coupled with systemic issues in the judicial system that have particularly led to a rise in sexually explicit crimes.
A Culture Imprinted on the Youngest Minds
The normalization of sexual violence in India is deeply ingrained in society, to the extent that even the youngest members are exposed to its horrors. As highlighted in a New York Times piece, the pervasive nature of India’s rape culture is such that even a 4-year-old girl in Mumbai, while watching a Bollywood movie, instinctively knew something horrific was happening when a female character was dragged away by male characters. The example illustrates the widespread normalization of rape and sexual violence, which have infiltrated the minds and actions of women and girls since childhood.
In India, the specific horror of gang rape weighs heavily on the minds of women, and the fear of such violence influences their daily lives. From avoiding public spaces after dark to carrying pepper spray, Indian women have developed a range of strategies to navigate a society where their safety is constantly at risk. Yet, no amount of precaution can guarantee their safety, as gang rape has become a weapon used to dominate, humiliate, and control, particularly against lower castes and marginalized communities.
Historical Trajectory of Rape Culture
Rape culture, in feminist parlance, describes a society in which rape and sexual violence are normalized and perpetuated through victim-blaming, trivializing sexual assault, and promoting harmful attitudes towards consent and gender roles. The roots of this culture can be traced back through history, where sexual violence was often used as a tool of war and conquest, with women treated as spoils of war. Ancient texts and mythology often depicted instances of sexual violence, reinforcing a culture where such actions were seen as acceptable or even glorified.
For instance, in ancient societies, rape was often treated as a property crime, with fines or compensation paid to the victim’s family or husband, rather than focusing on the violation of the victim’s rights.
This perspective continued through the Middle Ages and into the colonial era, where sexual violence was used to assert dominance over colonized populations. Even in more recent history, during conflicts like the Bosnian War of the 1990s, rape was employed as a weapon of war to destabilize communities and assert control.
In India, the cultural theory of rape emphasizes how deeply ingrained gender norms and power dynamics contribute to the perpetuation of rape culture. Feminist theorists argue that rape and the fear of rape enable men to assert power over women, maintaining the existing system of gender stratification.
This is evident in how upper-caste men have historically viewed lower-caste women as readily available for sexual exploitation, a practice rooted in the caste-based hierarchy that continues to influence attitudes towards sexual violence today.
Power, Control, and the Role of Police
Rape is not merely about sexual desire but about power, control, and domination. It serves multiple purposes for the perpetrator: exerting power over the victim, instilling fear in the community, and reinforcing social and political control. This was starkly evident in the Hathras Gang Rape of 2020, where a 19-year-old Dalit woman was brutalized by upper-caste men in Uttar Pradesh, leading to her death. The incident highlighted the intersection of caste and sexual violence, with the victim’s body used as a site of power struggle and social control.
The role of the police in perpetuating rape culture cannot be overlooked. In many cases, law enforcement officials have been complicit in sexual violence, either by failing to act or by actively participating in the crime.
For example, in the May 2023 gang rape in Manipur, victims reported that the police handed them over to the mob that assaulted them. Such incidents reflect a gross violation of constitutional and human rights, as recognized by the Supreme Court of India. The failure of the police to protect victims and their active participation in crimes of sexual violence erode public trust and perpetuate a culture of impunity.
A Culture of Impunity and Systemic Failures
The brutal nature of these crimes and the impunity often enjoyed by the perpetrators highlight a broader systemic issue in India. Despite stricter laws introduced after the 2012 Delhi gang rape, sexual violence has not abated. As Kavita Srivastava, general secretary of the Peoples Union of Civil Liberties, told DW, India is witnessing the worst phase of sexual violence and misogyny, with a complete breakdown of the rule of law that directly affects women. The normalization of violence against women is evident not only in the rising number of sexual crimes but also in the low conviction rates, which further embolden offenders.
Jaya Velankar, director of Jagori, an NGO working on women's issues, points out that the rise in sexual crimes is a backlash against women occupying more public spaces and challenging male hegemony. The overwhelming frustration among men, exacerbated by widespread unemployment, has created a dangerous environment where violence against women is used as a means to reassert control. Velankar also highlights the failures in India's criminal justice system, where shoddy investigations and poor evidence collection allow powerful individuals to escape punishment.
Recent History and Continued Violence
The persistence of rape culture in India is further evidenced by a string of brutal incidents across the country. In Bihar during the 1980s and 1990s, the Pararia mass rape saw dozens of women, including a five-year-old child, violated by policemen during a caste conflict. In Uttar Pradesh, the 2020 Hathras case echoed the horrors of the 2012 Delhi gang rape, raising questions about the treatment of marginalized women in India. Even in Tamil Nadu, caste-based violence continues to result in horrific sexual assaults, with Dalit women often targeted by dominant caste groups.
These incidents are not confined to rural or marginalized communities. In New Delhi, the nation’s capital, brutal cases of gang rape and public humiliation, such as the January 2022 incident where a young woman was paraded through the streets, highlight the pervasive nature of rape culture across all levels of society.
The involvement of women in perpetrating such violence against other women further complicates the narrative, showing how deeply ingrained and widespread rape culture is.
Addressing Rape Culture: The Path Forward
To effectively combat rape culture in India, a multifaceted approach is needed that goes beyond legal reforms. Education and awareness campaigns that challenge harmful gender norms and promote consent are crucial. Legal reforms, including recognizing marital rape as a crime and strengthening the prosecution of sexual offenders, are necessary to ensure justice for victims. Support systems for survivors, including counseling and legal aid, must be improved to help them navigate the legal process and recover from trauma.
Empowering women through education, economic opportunities, and political participation is essential to reducing their vulnerability to violence. Engaging men and boys in conversations about gender equality, consent, and respect for women is also vital to changing societal attitudes and preventing future violence. Finally, police reforms that prioritize the protection of victims and hold officers accountable for their actions are critical to restoring public trust and ensuring justice.
The rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata is a tragic reminder of the pervasive rape culture in India and the urgent need for systemic change. As the nation mourns the loss of yet another woman to sexual violence, it is clear that more must be done to protect women and hold perpetrators accountable. The protests sparked by this case offer a glimmer of hope that change is possible, but only if they are met with meaningful action. India must confront the deep-seated issues that allow rape culture to thrive and work towards creating a society where women can live and work without fear of violence.
