Last weekend’s horrific gang rape of a 23 year old woman on a bus in New Delhi has made world headlines. Not just because of the brutality of the crime but also for the level of public outrage the crime has triggered.
The horrendous attack has caused uproar among people and has highlighted the need for an attitudinal shift in the way women are treated in public. In the last few days, many have taken to the streets to state that enough is enough and that Delhi’s escalating rape pattern has to stop (police data shows that 459 rapes were reported in 2009 while 568 were reported in 2011, though as is often the case with these figures it is difficult to determine unequivocally whether more crimes have been perpetrated or more crimes have been reported).
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) has been leading the charge on the public front, hosting a flash demonstration outside Vasant Vihar Police Station yesterday and today blockading the Munirka Junction on the outer Ring Road for three hours until they were told that four of the culprits had been arrested while another two were being pursued.
What can you do?
There are a number of ways you can lend your voice to the collective call for justice and better safety on the streets for women.
Join the JNUSU demonstration today at 17:00 starting at India Gate to continue calls for justice and improved safety measures.
Join the protest march this Saturday 22 December at 9:00 also starting at India Gate calling for wider awareness of the need for public safety for women.
Sign this petition to lobby the police force to implement improved safety measures for women in New Delhi and address any attitudes and laws which blame the victim rather than the perpetrator.
Wear black on Saturday 22 December to show your support.
