After the Doctor's Rape: Widespread Clinic Strikes and Protests Across India
At a medical professionals' gathering in New Delhi's central area on a Saturday, signs read "Enough is enough." In Kolkata's eastern region, thousands of demonstrators held a vigil lit by candles throughout the night. A sign displayed by one protester stated: "Healing hands should not bleed."
In a government-run hospital in Kolkata, a 31-year-old physician was found deceased on August 9. She was discovered in the seminar room of the teaching hospital, where it seemed she had been resting during an exhausting 36-hour shift. An autopsy confirmed that the individual had been sexually assaulted. Their family suspected it was a gang rape.
The heinous act sparked intense protests throughout India: earlier in the week, employees at several regional state-run hospitals went on strike during specific shifts. On Wednesday, thousands took to the streets in Kolkata. On Friday, the Indian Medical Association demanded a nationwide strike.
So far, the authorities have apprehended a suspected hospital worker. Protesters criticize the authorities for insufficient investigation. As a result, Kolkata's high court transferred the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation to "boost public confidence." This is a federal investigation agency.
Sexual violence against women remains prevalent in India. In 2022, with a population of 1.4 billion, nearly 90 assaults were reported each day on average. Due to the stigma surrounding victims and lack of trust in law enforcement and the justice system, many cases go unreported. Convictions for sexual assault are still uncommon, and trials often last for years.
In 2012, the gang rape of an Indian student in New Delhi left the world in shock. The 23-year-old Jyoti Singh was assaulted, raped, and beaten with an iron rod by six men and a juvenile in a bus. Afterward, the attackers threw their victim out of the bus, seriously injured. The young woman later died in a hospital from her injuries.
Amidst the nationwide protests, several prominent medical organizations in India, including the Indian Medical Association, have expressed their solidarity with the victim's family in Delhi. The president of the Medical Council of India, in particular, condemned the incident in India and emphasized the need for stricter measures to ensure the safety of medical professionals.
Following the horrific incident, India's Prime Minister announced a series of stringent measures to prevent such incidents in the future. These include enhancing security in hospitals, introducing stricter penalties for sexual assault, and establishing special courts for expediting cases related to sexual violence.
