Earlier this month, a 31-year-old female resident doctor was sexually assaulted and then murdered at the national hospital after entering a seminar room to rest following dinner. The suspect has been identified as a volunteer who was taking care of patients at the hospital.
In response, doctors across India went on strike. Although the hospital has resumed normal operations, the victim's fellow interns continue to refuse non-emergency medical services.
"Fifty years on this planet, and I find that we are still teaching our daughters the same things that I was taught as a child," Khanna wrote in her column Saturday.
The actress-turned-writer added that girls are still advised not to go out alone, not to go out with men, including relatives like uncles or older brothers, reflecting a message that has persisted over time.
"It is time to ensure that laws are enforced and followed, guaranteeing safety measures for women in public spaces instead of confining us at home," she said, adding that until laws are effectively enforced, women might feel safer facing a ghost in a dark alley than a man.
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