On Rape Incidents, Bengal's Sonagachi Sex Worker's ‘Heartbreaking’ Appeal Goes Viral; Watch

The nation is reeling from the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor, while a contrastingly heartwarming video from Kolkata's Sonagachi red-light area captivates social media.

The brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor on duty at a Kolkata's RGK hospital has shocked the nation, sparking widespread protests and demands for a swift trial of all those involved. Amid the outrage, a heartwarming yet peculiar video is circulating on social media. The video features a woman from Kolkata's Sonagachi red-light area, leaving netizens both moved and intrigued by the contrast between the tragedy and the unexpected message of hope.

"If you have so much lust for a woman, come to us. Please don't ruin the lives of women. Don't destroy their lives by resorting to rape," she said in the clip. 

Her statements have gone viral, turning her into an online sensation. Social media users praised her as a hero and urged 'rapists' to learn basic humanity from her. 

respect pic.twitter.com/8fhg8eJuPD — Lamist ( he/tler ) (@lamist17) August 21, 2024

"We have a huge red-light area here where women work for as little as Rs 20-50. If you feel the need, come here instead. But please, don’t target women who are simply trying to earn a living. It's time we change this mentality," she added. 

A social media user shared, "Most of the rapists share some common characteristics like lack of empathy or remorse, impulsivity, grandiosity, narcissism, lust for power and women's body." 

One of the users wrote, "It's not about lust it's about havaniyat and darindigi also people who justify prostitution please tell me if a monster do all this to a prostitute then is it ok?? Is she not a human being? "Heartbreaking words. Red light area women doing better than inhumans," shared another user. 

While another said, “Welcoming this statement can be seen as a way of avoiding the harder work of changing attitudes, behaviors, and systems that perpetuate sexual violence. This approach can unintentionally reinforce harmful norms rather than challenging and transforming them.”  

For the past 10 days, doctors from across the country have been demonstrating and asking for speedy justice in the matter. In response, the Supreme Court yesterday established a 10-member National Task Force to propose measures for preventing violence against healthcare workers and ensuring their safety at work. The court noted that unrestricted access within healthcare institutions has left doctors, nurses, and paramedics vulnerable to violence, despite their round-the-clock dedication.