Nothing new for us, right? Women are molested, publically raped and then thrown on the public streets, and then die a death that was just not hers. This is what we’re used to. Isn’t that the truth?

It was on the 11th of December at around 1am when Shashikala (alias) was dragged through the streets and was paraded naked; beaten up in front of the whole village. The incident is from Hosa Vantamuri village in Belagavi district in the Southern Indian state of Karnataka.

But what was the reason?

The 42-year-old woman and a mother of a 24-year-old son was unaware of her son’s love affair with an 18-year-old girl. The police reached the village around 4am after receiving a tip-off, rescuing Shashikala and took her to the hospital. She was reported to be suffering from severe trauma. Her husband later told a visiting State Minister, “My wife and I didn’t even know about the relationship”. It was also noted that the assault in Belagavi was watched by “a crowd of 50-60 villagers“, adding that “only one man tried to intervene and he was also beaten up”.

What about the accused? 

More than a dozen people have been arrested and a local police officer has been suspended for “dereliction of duty”.

State’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called it an “inhuman act” and promised justice to her. The government has given her some agricultural land and money, although authorities have acknowledged there could be no compensation for the humiliation she endured.

We are all witness to the fact that this is not the very first time in a country like India where women on one end are worshiped and on the other end are molested by men.  

One such story that sparked global outrage came from the northeastern state of Manipur in July. A viral video showed two women being dragged and groped by a mob of men before one of them was allegedly gang-raped.

The horrific attack had a political angle – Manipur was gripped by violent ethnic clashes involving the Kuki and Meitei communities.

But reports from other states show such incidents are often rooted in caste or familial conflicts, with women’s bodies routinely becoming the battleground.

As we ponder where it all ends, the vital question lies here: Can women truly feel safe anywhere? The answer lies not just in asking but in building spaces where every woman feels secure. But what I feel is, the law will be made and destroyed, it the humanity and in the hands of the woman herself to keep herself on her top priority. It’s an ongoing journey, requiring our collective commitment to breaking down barriers. Let’s work towards creating a sanctuary every woman deserves.

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