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Crimes Against Women: Three Tragedies and the Call for Reform in India
As 2012 came to a close, news of the gang rape of a young woman in India’s capital generated headlines around the world. Her assault on a moving bus with a metal rod, and her death two weeks later from her injuries, focused attention on the dark side of the world’s largest democracy: the struggle that faces many Indian women in a country where chauvinistic and misogynistic attitudes prevail.
The Wall Street Journal’s India bureau explored this horrendous crime and others that explore the experience of Indian women in the 21st century. The reporting in all the stories stands out for its gripping detail and its emotional pull. In many cases, central figures involved in these everyday dramas were speaking for the first time.
The book begins with the story of a Catholic nun murdered in rural India as she tried to preserve ancient tribal ways in the face of mining expansion, while also coming to the aid of a woman who had allegedly been raped.
Next is a riveting account of a young woman from rural Bihar who was duped into moving to Delhi, where she was forced to marry or go into prostitution -- and the disaster for her and her family that ensued. The woman broke her long-held silence to speak to the WSJ about what happened.
The book ends with the WSJ’s world-beating coverage of the New Delhi rape case, including intimate portraits of the victim and her friend who tried to save her but couldn’t. He granted the WSJ intimate and exclusive access to tell his side of the story.
In this e-book, we are bringing together these stories -- in many cases updated with fresh details of the individuals’ lives -- to show the hopes and the catastrophes, the bravery and the abuse that are the daily lot of millions of India’s women.
The Wall Street Journal’s India bureau explored this horrendous crime and others that explore the experience of Indian women in the 21st century. The reporting in all the stories stands out for its gripping detail and its emotional pull. In many cases, central figures involved in these everyday dramas were speaking for the first time.
The book begins with the story of a Catholic nun murdered in rural India as she tried to preserve ancient tribal ways in the face of mining expansion, while also coming to the aid of a woman who had allegedly been raped.
Next is a riveting account of a young woman from rural Bihar who was duped into moving to Delhi, where she was forced to marry or go into prostitution -- and the disaster for her and her family that ensued. The woman broke her long-held silence to speak to the WSJ about what happened.
The book ends with the WSJ’s world-beating coverage of the New Delhi rape case, including intimate portraits of the victim and her friend who tried to save her but couldn’t. He granted the WSJ intimate and exclusive access to tell his side of the story.
In this e-book, we are bringing together these stories -- in many cases updated with fresh details of the individuals’ lives -- to show the hopes and the catastrophes, the bravery and the abuse that are the daily lot of millions of India’s women.
- GenresIndiaNonfiction
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 19, 2013
We've all been acutely aware of the rising graph of crimes against women. This compilation from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) assimilates three of the most gruesome, horrifyingly horrendous cases of barbaric bestiality shown against the fairer sex.
WSJ has done a commendable job by exposing some grim facts about the three cases: The Murder of Sister Valsa, Falak: the true story of India's baby, and the achingly unfortunate case of the Delhi Bus Rape.
The whole outcome of reading these accounts is that these are so sensitively reported that one cannot help but feel moved, even shocked to one's heart's core. These have been terrible tragedies, and sadly we have made them a part of our history, a despicable abhorrent history nevertheless. Gender-bias has always been embedded in the matrix of Indian society which may superficially wear the cloak of modernity, but still remains a highly son-worshipping land and son-worshipping people.
The case of the murder of sister Valsa is not just an account of how the ruthless demise and departure of Sister Valsa left a girl crippled for life, but also a sad commentary of the brutality which “influential” people exercise, the apathy of those in power.
The case of Baby Falak is yet another horrendous account of possibly all kinds and dimensions of oppression those females, of all ages, may be subjected to. It depicts how women can be deceived by promises of a bright life, which ironically translates full review.
WSJ has done a commendable job by exposing some grim facts about the three cases: The Murder of Sister Valsa, Falak: the true story of India's baby, and the achingly unfortunate case of the Delhi Bus Rape.
The whole outcome of reading these accounts is that these are so sensitively reported that one cannot help but feel moved, even shocked to one's heart's core. These have been terrible tragedies, and sadly we have made them a part of our history, a despicable abhorrent history nevertheless. Gender-bias has always been embedded in the matrix of Indian society which may superficially wear the cloak of modernity, but still remains a highly son-worshipping land and son-worshipping people.
The case of the murder of sister Valsa is not just an account of how the ruthless demise and departure of Sister Valsa left a girl crippled for life, but also a sad commentary of the brutality which “influential” people exercise, the apathy of those in power.
The case of Baby Falak is yet another horrendous account of possibly all kinds and dimensions of oppression those females, of all ages, may be subjected to. It depicts how women can be deceived by promises of a bright life, which ironically translates full review.
August 24, 2014
I had earlier applied for a book from Harper Collins and was disappointed when they did not send me one So this time around when I applied for this book, I had no hopes of ever having it in my hands, and was quite surprised whe all of a sudden I received this book! Thak you Harper Collins, you made my day!!
This book did a commendable job in bringing to light the human side of the crimes. Normally i news we see sensasnalization, the distorted facts all to generate interest. But WSJ delves deep into the crimes, to understand the mindset of the bravehearts, what they did, how they were abused and how to stood up to their abusers.
Read complete review here: crimes-against-women-by-the-wall-street-journal-book-review
This book did a commendable job in bringing to light the human side of the crimes. Normally i news we see sensasnalization, the distorted facts all to generate interest. But WSJ delves deep into the crimes, to understand the mindset of the bravehearts, what they did, how they were abused and how to stood up to their abusers.
Read complete review here: crimes-against-women-by-the-wall-street-journal-book-review
January 5, 2018
"A country cannot thrive when so many of its women feel intimidated when they participate in its development or are threatened when they try to assert their rights"
A must read for anyone who is willing to gain an insight on what goes into the 'everyday' life of female population of world's 'largest democracy'.
Each of the stories put out by the Wall Street Journal delves purely into facts. From the murder of the Sister Valsa to Baby Falak and 2012 Delhi gangrape, the book talks about the events that led up to these tragedies and how they could have been averted.
A must read for anyone who is willing to gain an insight on what goes into the 'everyday' life of female population of world's 'largest democracy'.
Each of the stories put out by the Wall Street Journal delves purely into facts. From the murder of the Sister Valsa to Baby Falak and 2012 Delhi gangrape, the book talks about the events that led up to these tragedies and how they could have been averted.
August 5, 2013
just the facts. no designs. Three biggest tragedies in modern India. stories of crimes committed against women in the world's biggest democracy.
The book does not try to judge India or states a solution for the problem. It just states the story of the people involved in these crimes.
The book does not try to judge India or states a solution for the problem. It just states the story of the people involved in these crimes.
September 5, 2019
This book depicts the true image of Indian women.
Check out the review- shivanigoyal3691.blogspot.in/2013/11/...
Check out the review- shivanigoyal3691.blogspot.in/2013/11/...
January 27, 2025
I found this book when I was clearing my bookshelves. I have no recollection of buying it, but I definitely did. And it must have been in India as the price on the back is in rupees.
I'm glad I found it.
Whilst some would think it might be a little bit dated - focussing as it does on events from 2011/2012, culminating in the shocking gang rape and beating of the girl on the bus - it's sad to say that this is still India today, was India centuries ago, and if nothing changes, will be India one hundred years from now.
The book follows three key stories that were reported on by the Wall St Journal. They are the killing of a Catholic nun in a rural community, the shocking abuse of a toddler in Delhi, and the killing of the girl on the bus. Each story is shocking without being unnecessarily graphic. I have read other accounts of the bus killing and I wish those other authors had perhaps pulled a few punches as some of those images are very hard to erase from the memory. All of these reports went in newspapers, and perhaps for that reason some of the shock-factor has been dialled down.
In the case of Sister Valsa, we see a strong woman, not afraid to stand up to big mining companies and to attempt to support a young rape victim. But women who stand up sometimes get cut down. Life is cheap for women in such places.
For Baby Falak, a toddler bitten and beaten by her 14-year-old carer, whose older partner 'bought' a daughter, the hundreds of millions of people praying for her recovery, whilst her birth mother, almost as much a victim as her baby, is many miles away in Rajastan, married off to a man who bought her because the availability of young women for wives was so low in his part of the country. Mother is lured away from her first husband, a violent abuser, by a charming stranger who says he wants to marry her and give her a good life in Delhi. She's passed between various people who attempt to get her into prostitution before selling her to a new (quite caring and kind) husband, but not without separating her from her three children.
And finally, we have the Delhi bus rape story, probably the one that more of the world knows about. In December 2012, a young physiotherapy student had been to the cinema with a friend and was waiting for a bus to take them both back to her district of Delhi. Lured onto a bus that wasn't in regular service, the pair were beaten severely, she was violently raped, and the pair were thrown out on the street naked. She survived long enough to be flown to Singapore for treatment before dying of her injuries.
The style of the book was a little confusing and inconsistent. The Sister Valsa story flowed, the baby Falak jumped about a little, but the bus rape story was presented as what seemed like a series of newspaper articles, with some repetition. The telling of the story doesn't matter - these women's deaths are so powerful that any change in style is just a minor irritation.
I am not going to comment on Indian society - there are many people better qualified than me to do that. I have been travelling there for nearly 30 years and it pains me deeply that so little seems to be improving in the country that I love.
I'm glad I found it.
Whilst some would think it might be a little bit dated - focussing as it does on events from 2011/2012, culminating in the shocking gang rape and beating of the girl on the bus - it's sad to say that this is still India today, was India centuries ago, and if nothing changes, will be India one hundred years from now.
The book follows three key stories that were reported on by the Wall St Journal. They are the killing of a Catholic nun in a rural community, the shocking abuse of a toddler in Delhi, and the killing of the girl on the bus. Each story is shocking without being unnecessarily graphic. I have read other accounts of the bus killing and I wish those other authors had perhaps pulled a few punches as some of those images are very hard to erase from the memory. All of these reports went in newspapers, and perhaps for that reason some of the shock-factor has been dialled down.
In the case of Sister Valsa, we see a strong woman, not afraid to stand up to big mining companies and to attempt to support a young rape victim. But women who stand up sometimes get cut down. Life is cheap for women in such places.
For Baby Falak, a toddler bitten and beaten by her 14-year-old carer, whose older partner 'bought' a daughter, the hundreds of millions of people praying for her recovery, whilst her birth mother, almost as much a victim as her baby, is many miles away in Rajastan, married off to a man who bought her because the availability of young women for wives was so low in his part of the country. Mother is lured away from her first husband, a violent abuser, by a charming stranger who says he wants to marry her and give her a good life in Delhi. She's passed between various people who attempt to get her into prostitution before selling her to a new (quite caring and kind) husband, but not without separating her from her three children.
And finally, we have the Delhi bus rape story, probably the one that more of the world knows about. In December 2012, a young physiotherapy student had been to the cinema with a friend and was waiting for a bus to take them both back to her district of Delhi. Lured onto a bus that wasn't in regular service, the pair were beaten severely, she was violently raped, and the pair were thrown out on the street naked. She survived long enough to be flown to Singapore for treatment before dying of her injuries.
The style of the book was a little confusing and inconsistent. The Sister Valsa story flowed, the baby Falak jumped about a little, but the bus rape story was presented as what seemed like a series of newspaper articles, with some repetition. The telling of the story doesn't matter - these women's deaths are so powerful that any change in style is just a minor irritation.
I am not going to comment on Indian society - there are many people better qualified than me to do that. I have been travelling there for nearly 30 years and it pains me deeply that so little seems to be improving in the country that I love.
April 25, 2022
This book is a compilation of articles published on the stories of 3 Indian women. However, what it leaves you reflecting is, the life and plight of countless women who are probably suffering in silence. Suffering because we have failed to execute on the systems we have so diligently built.
PS: Such systemic flaws are not limited to India alone. So take a moment to think about the safety and security of women in the spaces around you too.
PS: Such systemic flaws are not limited to India alone. So take a moment to think about the safety and security of women in the spaces around you too.
September 22, 2013
For anyone with a social consciousness and world awareness. . .
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews