Lifestyle / #JusticeForJisha: Does The Safety Of Women In India Depend On Social Status?

#JusticeForJisha: Does The Safety Of Women In India Depend On Social Status?

Lifestyle May 05, 2016

by Nomaan Khan

The brutal rape and murder of "Jisha," a law student from Kerala, has sent a shockwave across the country and social media.

The victim is known only as "Jisha" across media outlets, and the 30-year-old's body was found last Thursday in her family home in Perumbavoor with at least 30 vicious stab wounds. Her intestines had been removed, and her body showed extreme signs of strangling, torture and sexual assault.

^{Photo Credit: www.keralaonlinenews.com}

Anger is an all-time high after the incident, and the public wants to know why her death wasn't reported sooner, where the police were and why the state government hasn't gotten involved.

Floods of doubt are taking over social media as users express their outrage and question whether this case would be taken as seriously as Nirbhaya's, the rape case that shook the nation in 2012.

As more details emerge of Jisha's brutal murder, social media users are using the hashtag #JusticeForJisha and expressing their anger about the lack of media coverage and the delay in finding the murderers. Kerala police are facing criticism for not being proactive in delivering justice. However, two men have been detained for interrogation.

^{Photo Credit: www.thenewsminute.com}

People are also lashing out at the government for not ensuring the safety of women of the state, a longstanding issue.

^{Photo Credit: www.thenewsminute.com}

Oppression and inequality factor into Jisha's rape case — and into many other cases in India. Income and caste have been blamed for the silence surrounding the case because Jisha was considered an "Untouchable," a Dalit and part of India's "lowest caste."

The Director of the Centre for Social Research, Ranjana Kumari, describes this case as “one of the most horrendous incidents we’ve ever seen.”

“For four days they did not take any action, and only once the media got into it and women’s groups raised protests have they apprehended two people,” she said. “That speaks volumes about the way these cases are handled. The government is acting in a callous manner. It’s a very sad reflection on the way we look at women especially Dalit women. They are attacked on regular basis," Kumari explains.

She continues, "Most of my Western friends have asked me whether India has changed for women in the wake of Nirbhaya," said Kumari. "It’s a hugely complex question — because justice in India reaches women unequally. Modern women, who are well educated and belong to elite class families, have got it much better than Dalit women."

^{Photo Credit: www.hindustantimes.com}

The sad reality is that if this case had victimized someone of a "higher caste," it would likely have evoked much more action and emotion. If society still suffers from caste bias and considers poor people's problems irrelevant, how can we expect justice?

Why should caste, income or social status be a factor in any citizen's safety — let alone the nation's women?

^{Main Image Photo Credit: www.khaleejtimes.com}

Nomaan Khan

Author

After spending some time in a completely different field, Nomaan decided to drop it all and switch to Mohawk College to pursue his longtime interest in the world of Journalism. His experience working in multimedia platforms has helped him develop exceptional skills in thinking on his feet, being ...

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#JusticeForJisha: Does The Safety Of Women In India Depend On Social Status?

by Nomaan Khan

The brutal rape and murder of "Jisha," a law student from Kerala, has sent a shockwave across the country and social media.

Nomaan Khan

COMMENTS

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