"From Saffron to Shame: Confronting the Crisis of Sexual Assaults in India"

On India's Independence Day, we celebrate freedom with pride, but what about women's safety? The recent brutal assault on a female doctor highlights a disturbing truth—India’s independence doesn’t extend to women’s right to safety and respect. We must confront this harsh reality and demand real change.

Yes, folks, it's Independence Day. It's another year of independence from the Britishers for Indians, it's another year of celebrating the colors: Saffron, for Strength and courage; White, for Peace and truth; Green, for growth and auspiciousness for the land we call India

India isn't celebrating Independence Day like every other year, this year? the reason, Nirbhaya 2, people might ask me not to post this due to its controversy, there is nothing controversial, but only right, right in terms of speaking for what's necessary.

A week ago, a semi-naked body of a female resident doctor inside the RG Kar medical college was found in a state so devastating, that words cannot describe it. Her glasses were shattered by the rapists, glass particles piercing her eyes, and not a single part of her body was left to be tortured with injuries everywhere. The amount of semen found was at such a level, that proved it was a gang-rape. Her body was found with both her legs wide open at a right angle, with blood visible coming out of her eyes, mouth, and vagina. Imagine being a dad to see your daughter, in this condition

A doctor, after 36 hours of day and night duty, and relentless efforts to cure us, patients, of any ailment we have, decided to take rest for just some time in the seminar room. Little did she know, that was the last sleep of her life. Her parents were told to wait for 3 hours, after being told that it was a suicide, imagine the plight of the parents going through the same, when they find out their daughter is no more and have to see the body, naked in a state words can't express.

Independence for India? Sure, but what about the independence of a woman? The independence to even rest without worrying about getting raped, the independence to feel safe, secure, and protected, the independence to be equal to that of men, The independence to roam the streets of India at any time, with the freedom of self-expression through her attire. We don't get to choose what women must wear or not, do we?

Research has proven, and so has Interviewing rapists. Madhumita Pandey, a criminologist went to the Tihar jail to interview 122 rapists on one question, "Why do rapists rape ?", a culprit then stated, "It takes two hands to clap, a 'proper' girl won't be out at 9 pm, girls are far more responsible for getting raped, then men are".

Another 49-year-old rapist who sexually assaulted a 5-year-old child said in the interview, "The girl's 'character' was bad, so she had to be punished". Madhumita then asked if he had felt bad about it, to which the culprit replied, "Yes I feel bad, I ruined her life. Now she is no longer a virgin, and no one will marry her. I would accept her and marry her once I come out of a jail". This tells us a lot about the psychology of a rapist, and about how they lack proper education until high school.

It's not just 1 woman, but this is the plight of women in India, a plight beyond the number of rape cases even registered. More than 85% of rape cases aren't even reported in India, even with this, India is one of the top countries when it comes to such cruelties.

Remember the Hathras Case ?

The case where the victim tried to file an FIR with the police hours after the incident, stating she was raped, and mentioning the names of the culprits, but the police dismissed the case, matter of fact, the FIR was never even filed. This is the case in 85% of the cases, where the FIR is either not filed, or the victim's family doesn't wish to register the case due to the pressure and threats by the culprit. Or a case as explained in the award-winning documentary, "To Kill a Tiger"

Even the Constitution, the only legal framework that has the authority of making a change, has the wrong definition of rape. As compared to other democratic countries, in India, contrary to other countries, Marital Rape doesn't legally exist. Even if we do consider it, 99% of Martial rape cases go unreported. Yes, that's right 99% !!

India, a country so patriarchal, whose own government and ministers have stated in their speeches: Mulayam Singh Yadav said in his speech, "Boys make mistakes, why should they be hanged for it". On the other hand, in 2012, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwant said, "Rapes happen in India, but not in Bharat" which indirectly means, if women do traditional things, they will be safe.

Who protected that 16-year-old girl who got stabbed and bludgeoned with a stone multiple times, there were people just minding their own business and walking by without taking any action, knowing what was going on. Nobody cares to protect women when such cases happen, all they care to do is pull out their phone and start filming.

We must stop 'trying' to protect women and start educating our men. I feel ashamed to be part of such a society where due to some men, women feel scared around all men, where women feel scared to even step out of the house. It's time we make a change

Like B.R. Ambedkar once said, It's time we "Educate, Agitate, and Organize" the public because that is the solution to such cases in society.