The body of a 31-year-old female trainee medic was found at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. Upon further examination, it was revealed that the woman had been raped and sustained multiple injuries before she died.

This case highlights the matter of women’s safety in India, and many women in the medical field have spoken out about concerns for their well-being in an environment where hostility towards women runs extreme. Sexual violence has been a constant issue in India, with the number of confirmed cases of rape rising each year. According to a survey conducted by the Indian Ministry of Health, nearly one in three women have experienced violence at some part of their lives.

In a matter of days, thousands of people have united to protest, demanding justice for the woman who was raped and murdered (she cannot be named according to Indian law), better security measures, and safer workplaces. Additionally, female medical professionals have spoken about the lack of respect and sexual harassment they face in their workplaces.

The Indian Medical Association, which includes over 360,000 doctors as members, announced a nationwide strike in an effort to protest against gender-based violence in workplaces. Doctors who participated in this strike refused to treat non-emergency patients.

The brutal nature of this attack, along with the frequent reports of sexual crimes against women in India, has caused nationwide outrage, drawing the Indian Supreme Court out to order a national task force to investigate workplace safety for doctors. The case will also be heard in the Indian Supreme Court, an announcement that came after more than a dozen protests from medical professionals and civilians alike.