Zambrano 1

Dalit Women Fight

Against Sexual
Harassment
In India,
members of
the Dalit caste
(previously
known as the
untouchables) which
is the lowest caste
in the Hindu caste system; have
been treated in the most sickening
manor. By Indian Society hey have
been marked as outcasts and an
impurity, as far back as Hinduism
was founded, since it is believed by
the Hindu people that the Dalits
must have done something so
sinister in their previous life to
have themselves reincarnated in
the Dalit caste.
Some of the most heinous and
inhumane actions are preformed on
the women in the Dalit caste. In
India, a multitude
of Dalit women
are raped and
beaten every day,
however, 3 years
ago people began
to realize how
serious the
situation was
becoming.
After riding a bus home from a
movie theater a 23 year old Dalit
women, Jyoti Singh, was beaten

and raped by 6 men. For almost 90

minutes she was put through
unthinkable amounts of a pain and
suffering, and
was left out in the
streets

naked. Jyoti would

later pass away in a
hospital
approximately 2 weeks later due to
her injuries. You could not call the
people who did this human. They
are worse than beasts, says Asha
Singh, the mother of Jyoti. The
disgusting and vile crimes acted
upon Jyoti sparked media uproar
and heated protests throughout
India.
People wanted change and justice
for women and men from the Dalit
caste, but as Rosita Boland from
The Irish Times says, it takes
more than an
international media
scandal to change
India. India is still a
dangerous place for
people of the Dalit
class, especially
women. Women are
persecuted
and harassed constantly and
Jyoti
more persistently.
Singh
Today, as a result of the rape in
Delhi and of many other ones, a

Zambrano 2

group, known as the All India Dalit

Mahila Adhikar Manch (AIDMAM) is
attempting to put an end to the
violence that suppresses Dalit
women. This new movement, led
by Dalit women themselves, is
helping give women who are
victims of violence and harassment
a voice to share their struggles and
stories. The AIDMAM group has
gone on many tours around India
and other parts of the world to
spread their stories and to help
people become aware of situations
like these that occur in India and in
other countries.

The big shift happened in 2012,

says Asha Kowtal, one of the

leaders of the movement, The

frequency of the crimes was
staggering, and our movement
galvanized into a stronger force.
Prior to the incident in Delhi there
were a reported 22 gang rapes just
in Haryana. The then small group
of Dalit women spent time
travelling to Haryana to consult
with the survivors and families.
Then later in December the world
began to rapidly support the
movement after the horrific event
that took place in Delhi.
It opened up a lot of discussions
among feminist groups. Stated
Asha, We decided to use this
space to bring [up] issues of
gender and caste Asha believes
that the caste is also to blame for
the violence on women. She says
that the justice for women cannot
be fully achieved when the caste
apartheid still looms over the
Dalits.

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Caste also plays a huge role in the

violence towards women. The
people from the Dalit caste are
treated inhumanely, so gender just
adds to the level of persecution
they receive. The reality of Dalit
women and girls is one of exclusion
and marginalization, which
perpetuates their subordinate
position in society and increases
their vulnerability, throughout
generations, stated Rashida
Manjoo, the United Nations Special
Rapporteur on Violence against
Women. Being a member of the
Dalit caste, as well as, being a
women puts a huge target on the
back of all these women. The

AIDMAM movement is trying to

make people aware, not only of
gender inequality issues, but also
of the discrimination that goes on
with the Dalit caste as well.
The AIDMAM group is still trying to
make a difference in the lives a
millions of Dalit women, to end
their constant abuse and
persecution. The Dalit women have
been oppressed in large masses in
India, and the new movement is
helping more and more people
become aware every day to help
put an end to the harassment.
Julian Zambrano
November 9th, 2015