Kolkata Horror Unites People Globally!
People of a country that experienced the horrors of the Second World War and saw the fall of the Berlin Wall, as well as the reunification of East and West Germany, take to the streets on a regular basis to stage peaceful protests against the recent rape and murder of a 31-year-old lady doctor at Radha Gobinda Kar Medical College and Hospital (Asia’s first private medical college and hospital in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata established in 1886) in India. The German people have joined the Indian (especially Bengali) diaspora in the Western European country to demand justice for the victim. They are staging protests in a peaceful manner in different cities of Germany, with due permission from the concerned authorities.
Indians are staging protests everywhere… from Berlin in the east to Hamburg in the north, Cologne and Düsseldorf in the west, and Frankfurt in the south. Protesters raised their voice at the Jungfernstieg, an urban promenade and foremost boulevard in Hamburg, and also at the century-old Cologne Cathedral in the fourth week of August 2024. Some were holding candles, while others were holding placards, posters or bouquets. They voiced their protests in Bengali, English and German to demand justice.
The protesters also gathered in relatively smaller towns, like Hanover. Around 30 Bengalis gathered in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Hanover on August 21 (2024) evening. Indians have also been seen staging protests in Munich, Stuttgart, Erlangen, Bremen, Essen, Bonn, Siegburg and Duisburg. It may be noted that at least 0.3 million Indians are living in Germany for study, research or other purposes.
Read: Tragic Death Of Indian Doctor Sparks Global Protests!
The Germans usually are seen to follow rules and regulations. It takes at least 48 hours to get permission from various levels of administration to hold a rally and once protesters get the permission, the German Police take the responsibility for the overall security of them. The Indians, living in Germany, applied for permission to the concerned authorities to stage protests, demanding justice for the 31-year-old Indian doctor (who was raped and killed thousands of miles away on August 9 night).
The strict law plays an important role in ensuring the safety of girls and women in Germany. Barring some exceptional cases, women are really safe and independent in this European country. They can dress up as per their wish and freely move around anywhere in the country. They often return home from their workplaces in the night. This sort of security cannot be ensured only by making laws. There is also a difference in mentality. In the 21st Century, it is quite necessary to change the mental structure of people (read men) as far as gender equality is concerned. Also required is proper sex education and the lesson of developing empathy towards each other through free association of men and women from childhood.
Indians Hold Vigil In New Zealand
Expatriate Indians have also staged protests against the brutal rape and murder of the 31-year-old lady doctor in Kolkata in Australia, Britain and New Zealand. They observed silence in the streets of Christchurch on August 25 (2024), showing solidarity with the parents of the victim. Local organisers of the protest rallies have claimed that Indians living in Christchurch are closely monitoring the developments in Kolkata. Vaswati Sarkar, an Indian living in Christchurch, stressed: “There is no place for violence and injustice anywhere in the world.“
Similar protests have been organised in Auckland, Wellington and other cities in New Zealand. The protestors have demanded harsh punishment for those who raped and murdered the female doctor in Kolkata on August 9 (2024).
Impact On India
The question arises here: How effective are such movements by the Indian diaspora in Germany, New Zealand and other countries? Experts are of the opinion that global protests against the rape and murder of the young lady doctor in India shall have a negative impact on the South Asian country.
India’s image in terms of women’s protection is not quite satisfactory to the global community. This time, the Government of eastern Indian Province of West Bengal (led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) and the Kolkata Police allegedly made an attempt to cover up the murder by destroying evidence and also by protecting the Principal of Radha Gobinda Kar Medical College and Hospital. The Supreme Court of India, too, expressed serious concern over the process of investigation carried out by the Kolkata Police immediately after receiving the information about the brutal murder of the young female doctor. Interestingly, the judiciary handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from the Kolkata Police after three days of the incident.
In such a situation, the silence of the Narendra Modi Administration in New Delhi on this issue shall certainly hurt India’s dignity. Continuous protests against this crime in India and abroad have so far managed to keep the Government of India under tremendous pressure. The Modi Government has no other option, but to ensure justice for the young lady doctor. One has to admit that the Indian diaspora scattered around the world is showing the right direction to society by organising protest rallies in different parts of the globe.
The Neuroscience Behind Sexual Assault Responses
(Neuroscience Graphology) Let’s begin by understanding how people often react to sexual assaults that are extremely stressful or traumatic in the moment. People tend to react similarly to those in military combat or police shootings.
Research reveals that perceived threats activate four key brain regions: the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, the hippocampus and the amygdala.
Read: Reclaim The Night: The Awakening Of Consciousness
When faced with a threat, the hypothalamus sends signals to the pituitary gland to release a mix of hormones, including catecholamines, corticosteroids and opioids. These hormones, then, circulate through the bloodstream, with each serving a distinct role. Catecholamines (like dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine) energise the body to either fight or flee. Cortisol, a corticosteroid, conserves energy by suppressing functions, like digestion and immune response. If the threat escalates to violence, opioids and oxytocin work to numb the body’s physical and emotional pain.
At the same time, the hippocampus and amygdala manage the processing and storage of sensory information. The hippocampus encodes and organises sensory details, such as sounds and images into memories, while the amygdala focuses on capturing and storing emotionally charged or fear-related information.
These brain regions are highly sensitive to hormonal changes during a threat. Elevated catecholamines can impair rational thought, while increased opioids and oxytocin can hinder emotional expression. High levels of corticosteroids can deplete the body’s energy reserves, leading to a state known as tonic immobility, where the body may freeze and become unresponsive.
For women who have been sexually assaulted, tonic immobility – an uncontrollable response – can occur when fight or flight responses are no longer feasible. This response is marked by muscle rigidity, numbness and a reduced sensitivity to pain. Research indicates that 41-52% of women experience tonic immobility during assaults, with a higher incidence among those who have been assaulted multiple times.
With inputs from Neuroscience Graphology.
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