Thousands took to the streets of Kolkata, India on August 14th to condemn the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old female doctor at a state-run hospital. The discovery of her body last week has sparked nationwide outrage and protests, with demonstrators calling for swift justice and an end to the chronic issue of violence against women in Indian society.
The protesters, many of them women, marched through the streets of Kolkata under the slogan "reclaim the night," holding signs that read "We want justice" and "Hang the rapist, save the women." Sangeeta Halder, one of the midnight marchers, told The Telegraph newspaper, "We face harassment almost on a daily basis. But not stepping out because of fear is not the solution."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at India's independence day celebrations, expressed "pain" at the violence against women and said that "crimes against women should be quickly investigated" and that "monstrous behavior against women should be severely and quickly punished." He said this was essential for creating "deterrence and confidence in the society."
Doctors across several states have also been protesting, halting elective services "indefinitely" to demand swift justice and better workplace security. Dhruv Chauhan of the Indian Medical Association's Junior Doctors' Network said, "Doctors nationwide are questioning what is so difficult about enacting a law for our security."
The gruesome murder has invoked comparisons to the 2012 gang rape and murder of a young woman on a Delhi bus, which sparked massive protests and led to harsher penalties for sexual offenses in India. However, sexual violence against women remains a widespread problem, with nearly 90 rapes per day reported in the country in 2022.
The Kolkata High Court has now transferred the case to the elite Central Bureau of Investigation in an effort to "inspire public confidence" after police were accused of mishandling the initial investigation. Protesters have vowed to continue their demands for justice and action to address gender-based violence.
印度醫生慘遭謀殺,群眾要求伸張正義
數以千計的示威者於8月14日在加爾各答街頭示威,譴責一名31歲女醫生在一所公立醫院遭到殘酷強姦及謀殺。這名女醫生的屍體在上週被發現,引發全國性的憤怒和抗議,示威者呼籲盡快伸張正義,並終結印度社會一直存在的針對婦女的暴力問題。
示威者,很多都是婦女,在加爾各答街頭遊行,標語寫著「我們要正義」和「懸掛強姦犯,拯救婦女」。參與午夜遊行的Sangeeta Halder告訴《電訊報》:「我們幾乎每天都面臨騷擾。但是因為害怕而不出門不是解決辦法。」
印度總理納倫德拉·莫迪在印度獨立日慶祝活動上表示,對針對婦女的暴力感到「痛心」,並表示「針對婦女的罪行應該得到迅速調查」,而「對婦女的惡劣行為應該受到嚴厲和迅速的懲罰」,因為這對於造成社會的威懾力和信心至關重要。
幾個邦的醫生也一直在抗議,無限期停止選擇性服務,要求迅速伸張正義,並改善工作場所的安全。印度醫學會青年醫生網絡的Dhruv Chauhan表示,「全國醫生都在質疑為什麼難以制定一部法律來保護我們的安全。」
這起殘酷謀殺案喚起了人們對2012年德里公交車強姦案的回憶,那起案件引發了大規模抗議,促使印度加大對性犯罪的處罰力度。然而,針對婦女的性暴力仍然是一個普遍問題,2022年全國每天報告近90起強姦案件。
加爾各答高院現已將這起案件移交給精英中央調查局,以「激發公眾信心」,因為警方被指處理不當。示威者誓要繼續要求伸張正義,採取行動解決基於性別的暴力問題。
Comments