The recent rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, India has shocked the public of India and sparked nationwide protests. This tragic incident is part of a broader, systemic problem of femicide and gender-based violence in not only India but also neighbouring countries of Pakistan and Bangladesh, where cases of extreme brutality against women are alarmingly common. As heinous as the crime is, unfortunately, it is not limited to just these countries.

The high rate of femicide throughout the world is at an alarming rate. From India to the UK to Kenya to Nigeria. It’s been hugely disappointing NGL. We can’t say we are building a society when Women and Children are not safe and don’t feel safe.

— Dols (@this_is_dols) September 5, 2024

In recent years in the UK, a woman has been killed by a man on average every three days, yet most of their stories have gone unheard. In 2024 alone, the toll of women whose deaths have led to a man being charged has now reached 50. None of these incidents are linked in any way other than that a woman has been killed and a man charged in connection with her death. The work of campaigns such as Counting Dead Women, the Femicide Census and Killed Women sheds light on the fact that femicide and gender-based violence is a global crisis that is not limited to any one ethnicity, nationality or country.

The Tragedy at RG Kar Medical College

On August 9, 2024, a 31-year-old junior doctor was found brutally raped and murdered in a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. The attack, which occurred during her 36-hour shift, was shockingly perpetrated by a police volunteer working at the hospital. This incident highlights the vulnerability of women, even in professional spaces that are presumed to be safe​.

A doctor being raped and killed while she was on call, at work is insane.
Showing up to work to save lives but you’re not even safe in your place of work.
Justice for Dr. Moumita Debnath.

— Moróunmúbọ̀ Àjoké (@Dee_jumai) August 17, 2024

The reaction of the public was swift and widespread. Strikes and protests erupted in hospitals all over India, with doctors and health professionals demanding better security measures and justice for their colleagues. Women from all walks of life took to the streets, their collective trauma triggered as they mourned not only the junior doctor but also remembered multiple cases of femicide, including the harrowing 2012 Delhi gang rape case. Despite legal reforms following the latter, sexual crimes have not only persisted but become more brutal and widespread​. The problem of sexual violence in India persists as the culture of misogyny remains deeply embedded.

Are people just now learning that there is an ongoing femicide in India. The gendered violence epidemic is actually so aggressive

— Kaela (@kaelalaforce) September 3, 2024

The murder of the Kolkata doctor is not an isolated incident. It is part of a grim reality in India, where femicide, defined as the gender-based killing of women, is prevalent. In 2022 alone, India recorded 31,516 cases of rape, translating to an average of 86 rapes per day. However, these statistics only scratch the surface. Many cases of sexual violence go unreported due to fear of reprisal, societal stigma, and distrust in the justice system. The actual numbers are likely to be much higher, painting a horrifying picture of the dangers women face in India.

Violence against Women in the UK

While the scale of femicide in India is stark, the UK is also struggling with a rise in gender-based violence, particularly femicide. The UK saw a 7.7% increase in femicide rates in 2022 compared to the previous year, with women of colour and immigrant women being disproportionately affected. High-profile cases like the murder of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa, both in 2021 have brought the issue of femicide to the forefront of public consciousness, sparking debates about women’s safety. The fact that the perpetrator in Everard’s case was a serving police officer raises serious questions about the effectiveness of the legal system in protecting victims.

The similarities between India and the UK are striking. In both countries, the victims are often young women, and the perpetrators frequently exploit their positions of power or societal norms to commit these atrocities. Additionally, it’s important to note that even though statistics indicate women are most likely to be killed by a partner or ex-partner, many perpetrators are not known to the victims, which further complicates efforts to address and prevent femicide. The systemic issues, ranging from inadequate legal protections to societal attitudes that dehumanise women and devalue their lives, are common threads that run through these tragic cases.

it’s not a fucking gender war
it’s femicide

All I’ve seen over the last few weeks are cases of women and girls being assaulted and murdered by men. India, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda…

It’s always a man.

But “not all men” is the hill y’all would rather die on.

— koko (Taylor’s Version) (@ore_loves_oreos) September 5, 2024

The Unjust Burden of Safety on Women

Every time we hear discussions of violence against women, a disturbing pattern emerges immediately: the onus of safety is almost always placed on the women themselves. Whether it be India or Pakistan, the US or the UK, women are constantly told to take precautions—avoid dark streets, stay in groups, dress modestly, carry pepper spray, and avoid making eye contact with strangers. Women all over the world internalise these precautions, living in a state of hyper-awareness, always looking over their shoulders, whether on public transport, walking the streets, or even in their workplaces.

Unfortunately, despite these precautions, women continue to be attacked, raped, and killed. The tragic murder of Sarah Everard is a case in point. Everard was walking home on a well-lit street, following all the “rules” that society imposes on women to stay safe, yet she was abducted and murdered by a serving police officer. Her case, much like the recent femicide in Kolkata, highlights the harsh reality that no amount of precaution can protect women in a society that fundamentally fails to address the root causes of gender-based violence. Sarah Everard’s case is not isolated. Sabina Nessa, a 28-year-old primary school teacher, was murdered in September 2021 while walking through a park in southeast London. Nessa had taken a route through a well-populated park at 8:30 p.m., yet she was brutally attacked and killed by a stranger, Koci Selamaj, who was later convicted of her murder.

Another horrific example is the case of 21-year-old Libby Squire, a University of Hull student who disappeared in January 2019 after a night out. Despite taking a taxi and trying to make it home safely, Squire was abducted, raped, and murdered by Pawel Relowicz. Her body was found weeks later in the Humber Estuary. These cases show women’s vulnerability even when they take every precaution. 

In addition to this concerning trend, the recent mass stabbing in Southport led to the tragic deaths of three girls. Riots were fueled by false claims spread by far-right groups that the attacker was a Muslim and an asylum seeker. This incident also revealed broader Islamophobic, racist, and anti-immigrant sentiments that had been growing leading up to the protests. However, the UK continues to avoid labeling such acts as femicide.

Somehow the murder of three little girls, allegedly by a young man born in the UK, has led not to protests against femicide, but to racist cross-country attacks on migrants and asylum seekers. It’s maddening.

— Elizabeth Renzetti (@lizrenzetti) August 4, 2024

In all these cases, the murderers and perpetrators have been men, which begs the question, what is wrong with the men and the system that is giving rise to their problematic mindset? What is compelling these men to be so brutal, violent, and disrespectful to the women around them, causing active harm to these women and their families? Around the world, the conversation around safety needs to shift from what women should do to avoid violence to how society can change to prevent violence from happening in the first place. This involves challenging and dismantling the patriarchy that perpetuates violence, holding perpetrators accountable, and creating environments where women can exist freely and without fear.

I’m incredibly sad to hear of Cheptegei’s death. Femicide is on the rise globally, women continue to be victims of unspeakable violence at the hands of men, and now, what should’ve been a celebratory homecoming period for an amazing athlete is a period of mourning for her family https://t.co/Ycz59nTjOO

— entitled uppity African 🇵🇸 (@maxinethepoet) September 5, 2024

A talented Olympic athlete was murdered on her way home from church in the most brutal way. Her ex boyfriend doused her with petrol and set her alight. A life robbed from us due to male entitlement. It’s not all men, but it’s always a man. We will remember you Rebecca Cheptegei.

— Ellie Wilson (@ellieokwilson) September 5, 2024

Dies?? Rebecca Cheptegei was murdered. Tortured with fire & burnt to death. For God’s sake language matters! Get it right. Femicide is real. pic.twitter.com/yapD71qrm1

— Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu (@SholaMos1) September 5, 2024

While women are often advised to take steps to protect themselves, the onus should not be on them to prevent their victimisation. Instead, the focus must be on addressing the systemic issues that allow the world to be unsafe for women and such violence to occur. The responsibility of harming someone lies solely on the shoulders of the one who harms, and not on one who comes to harm. It is time to change the narrative to “Why did you do it?” rather than “Where were you and what were you wearing when it happened?” Additionally, widely circulated jokes and memes at the expense of women are harmful and play a huge role in dehumanising women in the eyes of society. A society that, in the guise of jokes, feels it’s a right to see women as lesser beings, as objects to be controlled and stomped on when one dares to question and challenge the norms. The time has come to squash these notions and nip them in the bud. They are not funny and women are definitely not laughing. 

this is femicide. every single country on this planet has a femicide epidemic and no one is doing anything to stop it. it’s uganda, it’s the uk, it’s america, it’s japan, it’s korea, it’s every country. women are safe no where. https://t.co/QGLIgGhKeD

— alisha⁴🏎️🧡 (@snowyl4ndo) September 5, 2024

It is clear for all to see that femicide is not confined to any one country or culture. It is rooted in patriarchal structures that preserve gender inequality and violence against women. Whether in India, the UK, or elsewhere, the response to femicide must be multifaceted. This includes not only legal reforms but also changes that challenge the norms and behaviours that enable such violence. To create a world where women are safe, valued, and respected, silence is not an option and inaction is complacency.