The rape crisis in India: what can we do?

On 26 March 1972, a young girl called Mathura, aged between 14 and 16, was raped by those meant to protect her: two police constables named Tukaram and Ganpat. 

The horrific moment sent a tremor of fear and rage down the spine of India’s population, and a wave of outraged citizens demanded immediate justice – yet the perpetrators were declared not guilty. Their innocence was determined by insufficient evidence that the child did not verbally consent, and no visible injuries were found on her body. Also contributing to their innocence was the ‘two-finger test,’ an incredibly invasive and dehumanising method in which two fingers are inserted into the victim’s vagina to evaluate the elasticity of their hymen – this determined that Mathura was “sexually experienced.”

India’s society brands sex as something that reduces a woman’s value, as a woman who has lost her virginity is now seen as an entirely different person

Regardless of its scientific validity, this test was undoubtedly degrading and unethical. Undergoing a violating sexual experience to prove a claim, combined with such extreme recent trauma, undeniably defied Mathura’s human rights – yet this practice was only deemed unconstitutional in 2013. 

Understanding the implications of such a test, and its historical acceptance in India’s society, reveals the dark lens through which the country’s women are viewed. Had a sexually active, married woman been a victim of rape, the ‘two-finger test’ would have denied her any form of justice. By determining sexuality in this way, India’s society brands sex as something that reduces a woman’s value, as a woman who has lost her virginity is now seen as an entirely different person: a woman ‘branded’ with the mark of her ‘impure’ acts. Furthermore, it lends even more power to the men of the relationship, as marital rape is no longer a crime that can be convicted – marital crime is still, in fact, not recognised as illegal in India. 

In a country where women are looked down on for wanting to obtain an education, a house, or even a career, it is almost impossible for them to claim ownership of their own bodies. 

Women and men across the country felt the lack of justice and respect shown in the court ruling deep to their core, and protests flooded the streets. The change was slow, but eventually, amendments were made to the law in 1983 which gave more power to the victim. It was mandated that a woman who claims to have not given vocal consent be believed unless proven otherwise, along with numerous other pivotal amendments.

The people of India were, and still are, determined to force the country to change

The protests of 1972 resulted in significant revolution and change which would be felt for decades to come. It seemed that the country was at last lending warmth and empathy to the girls that lived in it. And yet, today, similar scenes play out throughout the same country.

On August 9 of this year, the body of a 33-year-old trainee doctor named Moumita was discovered in a lecture hall, half-naked and cruelly drained of her dignity in her final moments. Initially, the assistant superintendent of the hospital made the claim to the victim’s parents that her death was a suicide. It was only after a special investigation team paid attention to the case that it was labelled a rape crime, committed by the monstrous hands of Sanjay Roy.

Outraged by the heinous act and the attempts to cover it up, and tired of asking for justice, over a million people took to the streets to once again demand that the country give justice to its women. Banners screaming “Reclaim the night” and “Justice for Moumita” adorned the streets of India, making international headlines. The people of India were, and still are, determined to force the country to change.

It is not just the responsibility of women to advocate for their rights, which are fundamentally the rights of all humans

However, it is also the responsibility of those of us living in the West to lend a hand. Though we are far from equality between the genders in any corner of the world, our voices have more exposure than those of many women without the same privileges. We may not be able to bring about an immediate change, but no one can take away our voices.

Now, I implore you: talk about these stories with the people in your life – they may make others uncomfortable, but that uneasiness is nothing compared to the unimaginable pain experienced by the victims. Spread the word of these stories to the men in your life and tell them to do the same: it is not just the responsibility of women to advocate for their rights, which are fundamentally the rights of all humans.

To the South Asian women reading this: break the cycle. If you are in a place where you feel safe to do so, challenge the beliefs that your older relatives or family friends may have regarding the position of women in society. Some of us are lucky enough today to escape societal pressures, a choice that many of these relatives did not have when they were younger. We must utilise this in any way we can, no matter how minor. Refuse to cover up when male relatives come over out of fear of seeming ‘indecent.’ Tell the men of the house that they can prepare the table for dinner, instead of idly watching the women as they languish in their comfy chairs. These acts may seem small, but they slowly challenge the naïve idea of many men that women are mere objects without autonomous thoughts of their own: we are living humans with power and intellect of equal importance to that of men, and we must fight for liberation.