Hathras: Caste-Based Sexual Violence and the Dalit Feminist Movement with Kiruba Munusamy
CW: Rape and Violence
You might have heard about the brutal gang rape of a 19 year old Dalit girl by 4 upper-caste ‘Thakur’ men in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh late last month. She was found lying barely conscious, naked, badly battered and bruised in a field next to her home in Hathras. For the next two weeks, she fought for her life. But on the morning of 29th September, she died from the injuries sustained during the rape.
Events that followed are as abhorrent. The police repeatedly deny that the rape occured. They even burned the body of the victim in the middle of the night without the family's permission to perform the last rites. Upper-caste Thakur men are actually protesting to proclaim the innocence of the four men accused of the rape. Right-wing media is erasing the role of caste in the case. It is simply horrifying.
Many of us South Asians, whether we are from the sub-continent or part of the diaspora, are where we are because of our caste privilege. It is now time to address it. Join us for a conversation on caste-based sexual violence and the Dalit Feminist movement with Kiruba Munusamy, an advocate in the Supreme Court of India and a Dalit woman activist. This conversation is a space to educate yourself on this issue and learn about what action you can take. See you there.
This is open to everyone, Tufts and non-Tufts! So invite friends and family who would be interested.
Speaker Profile: Kiruba Munusamy is an advocate practicing in the Supreme Court of India. She is a social, political and judicial activist striving for social justice by eliminating all forms of discrimination, oppression and inequality in society. She is working against various human rights violations in India, including caste and gender-based discrimination, caste based atrocities against Dalits, violence against women, discrimination in academic spaces, death penalty, state repression and prohibition of the inhumane practice of manual scavenging.
Join the event here.
