The horrific sexual violence and murder of a nomadic woman in Nishat, Srinagar has sent shock waves across Kashmir and beyond. This horrible crime committed by four men has extinguished the life of the innocent and left the Reasi family crying.
The family of the victim had come to Kashmir for over a decade for their seasonal migration to graze their cattle trusting in the land and the people and now that trust has been lost. This incident brings us to uncomfortable questions: are women safe in society, especially those from vulnerable communities?
This not an isolated incident but indicate a sinister incident amidst the violence against women, and particularly violence against women from marginalized communities. Nomadic communities are far more vulnerable and extremely vulnerable due to the absence of sufficient social and legal protections.
The agonies of the victim’s family in a tormented wail that they no longer feel that Kashmir is a ‘safe haven’ should serve as alarms for authorities as well as civil society.
Justice should not be denied or delayed. The perpetrators should be fully brought to account as punishment and in such horrific acts will not be tolerated. But justice alone will not be enough.
There must be a larger societal reckoning: willingness to dismantle the misogyny and dehumanization that allowed for such acts against Kashmiri nomads. There also must be robustness in the police and administrative mechanisms that would secure every woman’s anti-violence safety and protection, regardless of her background.
While that is reckoned with, the other option for survival is community support. Kashmir’s hospitality and compassion must extend to its most vulnerable visitors. Civil society, religious leaders, community leaders, and influencers must stand in outspoken condemnation of such acts – while also endorsing the work to move toward a culture with zero tolerance for gender based violence.
She was not just a police record, another statistic – brutally butchered in cold blood – deserving vengeance. The weight of her parents’ vengeance would undoubtedly weigh heavy on our own conscience. Let’s make sure her death is not in vain: by continuing to raise the cry for justice; by demanding change; and by making sure that all living girls never need to look over their shoulder for fear of losing their lives again.
