What you should know as India's medical professionals and women protest the rape and murder of a doctor

NEW DELHI — On Saturday, Indian health workers began a nationwide strike to protest the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a government hospital in the eastern state of West Bengal.

The Indian Medical Association, the country's largest doctors' association, called for the strike on Saturday. It announced that all non-essential hospital services across the country would be closed for 24 hours.

The work stoppage has affected thousands of patients across India. Protests – led primarily by women – have intensified in recent days, demanding a safer working environment.

Here's what you should know:

On August 9, police discovered the blood-soaked body of the 31-year-old medical student in the seminar room of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in east Kolkata.

A police officer working at the hospital was arrested in connection with the crime, but the victim's family claims it was a gang rape and that several people were involved. An autopsy confirmed sexual abuse.

The case is currently being investigated by federal investigators after state government officials were accused of mishandling the investigation.

On Wednesday night, thousands of women across the country protested in the streets demanding justice for the victim while participating in “Reclaim The Night” marches. Some protesters called for the death penalty for the perpetrators.

Thousands of medical workers across India are demanding justice for the victims and a guarantee of safety for doctors and paramedics in hospitals and clinics. Many of them have stopped all but emergency treatment. More strikes of this kind are planned for the weekend.

Doctors say the attack highlights the vulnerability of medical professionals working without adequate security in hospitals and medical campuses across India.

The Indian Medical Association asked the public for support in its “fight for justice” and described the murder as “a crime of barbaric proportions due to the lack of safe places for women”.

The doctors are also calling for stricter laws to protect against violence. This includes making any attack on medical staff on duty a criminal offence and eliminating the possibility of bail.

Sexual violence against women is a widespread problem in India.

Many cases of crimes against women go unreported in India because of the stigma attached to sexual violence and a lack of trust in the police. Women's rights activists say the problem is particularly acute in rural areas, where society sometimes shames victims of sexual assault and families worry about their social status.

Nevertheless, the number of registered rape cases in the country has increased. In 2022, according to the National Crime Records Bureau, the police recorded 31,516 rape reports – a 20% increase from 2021.

In 2012, the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi sparked massive protests across India. The government then decided to impose harsher punishments for such crimes and set up fast-track courts for rape cases. The government also introduced the death penalty for repeat offenders.

The Rape Act, amended in 2013, also criminalized stalking and voyeurism and lowered the age at which a person can be tried as an adult from 18 to 16.