A tourist couple were sexually harassed and beaten in India during their world tour on motorbike

A disturbing incident took place with a tourist couple in India, when they were camping in eastern Jharkhand state’s Dumka district because of no hotel nearby, before heading to Nepal. According to a video posted by the couple on Instagram and later deleted, explained the discomforting details. ‘We were assaulted in the tent. We were beaten. They put a knife to our necks and she was raped by seven guys’, he said. The woman’s face was seen bruised and swollen, completely terrified, while sitting beside her husband in the video. Identified as Vicente and Fernanda to a Spanish TV channel in a given video interview, the Spanish couple were found by the local police around 11 pm on roadside, and informed authorities that ‘their modesty had been outraged by seven men’. The couple was taken to the hospital, where woman talked about being sexually harassed, to the doctors.
The couple has approximately 200,000 followers on Instagram, and are documenting their journey on a motorbike, taking it around the world. The couple was physically assaulted and robbed by the accused men. Police in Jharkhand confirmed the incident and arrested three men over the weekend, while they were searching for four more suspects, they said, quoted AP News. The country has a bad record of women safety and shocking numbers around sexual harassments on women. As per the National Crime Records Bureau, rape cases have increased from 2021 to 2022 by 20%. However, the exact statistics couldn’t be discovered due to the stigma around such situation.
Aarti Gupta is a graduate student in University and a member of ‘Speak up’ community on campus. She was furious with what all happened and is ashamed as a host country for the tourists. She said, ‘It is unfortunate that the couple, who is on their journey to explore the world, had to go through this in our country. I am so ashamed of what memory, we as a country has given to them. Yes, blaming all of us is not right, but such incidents are still happening after multiple awareness campaigns, education, legal framework, is what cross my mind. Why as a country, we cannot achieve the peak of women safety, when alongside we are becoming the fastest economy to grow, getting presidency of global summits and conferences, chairing international events about women empowerment? We are putting lot of efforts in promoting women and development globally, despite of us lacking completely domestically.’ Furthermore, she also said, ‘It feels like a woman can never feel safe in this world. Today when we as a humankind has developed in every aspect, targeting women community will always be an easy way for men’.
Spanish Embassy is in contact with the couple and with Indian authorities in the further investigation. But a picture of Deputy Commissioner of Dumka, Jharkhand, handing 10 Lakhs compensation to the husband is circulating online and is largely criticized by the social media users. A statement released by the Commissioner Anjaneyulu Dodde said, ‘We did fast investigation and from the side of district administration, we are providing all the help to them (rape survivor and husband). Under the victim compensation scheme, we have given them Rs 10 Lakhs, we will try for a speedy trial and conviction (of the accused)’, quoted OpIndia. Aarti told EAT news, the whole procedure is insensitive. ‘If, there is a scheme for the victims, do it silently. Why putting it on social media platforms? Their current demand is not money, but justice. To arrest accused and punish them under the judicial system. This step of monetary help is looking no less than a show, after it is captured for cameras. Authorities are required to act sensibly instead of hungry for attention, in such situations’, she said.
According to a survey conducted in support of UN Women presents, that 95 per cent of women and girls feel unsafe in India. Aarti while talking to EAT news described, what its like to step out in dark, as a woman. ‘I live in Delhi, capital of India however it is also one of the cities, where crime rate against women is very high. As a woman, I have to think twice before steeping out after it gets dark. You got to hear terrible news frequently about a teenage girl is raped, or a woman is sexually harassed while returning from her workplace, or a group of girls were eve teased by men. Now, since this particular behaviour is expected from men in this society and there is nothing can be done, until the other person prioritize their security by avoiding certain activities or acts, we are conditioned to consider our safety by disciplining ourselves’, she said. In addition, she described men as predators and that ‘they wander freely to hunt and women as their prey, were advised by elders to be careful, most of the times’.