Cal's Lucas Asia Correspondent

Asia correspondent

Updated Wednesday, March 6, 2024-10:51

  • India The motorcycle trip through India that ended with seven men raping Fernanda: "They took turns raping me. When I screamed, they hit me in the face"

"Justice for Fernanda

," could be read in English on the signs raised by dozens of women who demonstrated Tuesday night in Pune, southeastern India.

They were showing their support for the Spanish tourist who was gang-raped last week in a remote region on the other side of the country.

"Stop rapes!"

, read more posters from a protest illuminated by candles held by the protesters and which ended with the women shouting for an end to the impunity enjoyed by many sexual offenders who are not punished if the rapes do not have media coverage.

It was in the northern state of Jharkhand where a group of villagers attacked the

influential

biker couple Vicente (63 years old) and Fernanda (28), beating the former and raping the woman in turns.

Police in this region announced yesterday that

they had arrested eight people

in connection with the assault.

"They have caught all the criminals, and there were eight in total (at the beginning, the couple had identified seven). Everything has gone very quickly, the police have been tremendously efficient. I

just have to thank everyone who "You have helped and supported us

. I ask for justice for all the women who also go through this, that it is not just me, we all deserve the same," Fernanda published on her Instagram account, where she has almost a million followers.

His partner, Vicente, explains to this newspaper that they are receiving overwhelming media attention everywhere.

In addition to media from Spain, India and Brazil (the country where Fernanda was born), they have been contacted from many other corners of the planet, interested in learning first-hand about a case that once again draws global attention to the

high levels of sexual violence in India. .

The latest data (from 2022) from the National Criminal Records Office put

the number of rape cases at 31,516

, an average of 86 per day.

Figures that, according to social groups and victim support organizations, barely represent a tiny part of the reality in a country in which many women do not report or police investigations go nowhere.

After the group rape of Fernanda, women's rights activists, intellectuals, Indian politicians and even Bollywood actresses have opened a debate on social networks in the Asian country about the problem of these attacks despite the legal reforms that have been implemented. implemented in recent years.

Under current Indian laws,

it is still not a crime for a man to force his wife to have sexual relations

with him, as long as she is over 18 years of age.

"We have become so accustomed to violence against women that only when the contours of a case are very different do they make a dent in our conscience. Otherwise, our bodies, our minds and our autonomy do not matter at all," highlighted the writer. Karanjeet Kaur.

The event that occurred in Dumka, a district of Jharkhand, has also been on the political agenda of some legislators these days.

Amit Mandal of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party that is in the central government,

accused the police of trying to protect the alleged rapists.

"The incident has not only embarrassed Jharkhand but the entire country. The SP (Dumka authorities) and the police are trying to cover up the matter. I demand that an inquiry committee be set up and strict punishments be ensured against those involved in crime," Mandal said a few days ago.

"In this state, neither the Adivasis nor the Dalits (India's most vulnerable communities, socially labeled as lower castes) are safe. But now it has become an international issue because a Spanish woman comes with her husband to India and It's in the news that she's been gang raped," the politician continued.

On Tuesday, Fernanda and Vicente, once physically recovered from the attack,

took their motorcycles again and left Dumka

escorted by the police.

His intention is to cross to Nepal and in the capital, Kathmandu, take a plane to return to Spain and be able to rest with his family.

"The victim was emotionally devastated

, but was in stable physical condition," said the Dumka judge handling the case.

"I am devastated and very angry," Fernanda said hurt before leaving India.

"I am outraged above all by what I have had to read and hear from Spaniards, almost telling me that I have brought it on myself, as if I am too well and whole for what has happened to me. What should I be? Even more destroyed? "Crying? With a cut? It's incredible that this still happens today."