Would you?

In my head there's a list (to be honest, more than just one list but that's another story...). It's a list of places I want to see at some point in the future. The main problem is that instead of getting smaller I always add more and more places to it. I have serious doubts about wheter I will ever be able to visit at least half of the countries on that list. 

India is one of these countries. I've been thinking about going there for years but up to now I haven't been able to realize this plan due to a lack of time and the amount of money it would cost. Maybe I was interested in seeing other parts of the world first. To be honest, Europe is such a beautiful continent and I sometimes think it would make more sense to visit all the wonderful places here before going somewhere else - but no, that's not the main reason.

I worry a lot. When I read something in the newspaper, for instance about the thousands of refugees trying to make their way to Europe and taking suffering and death into account or the 200 girls who where abducted by a group called Boko Haram in Nigeria, yes when I read about these issues I simply can't avoid thinking about it. I can't just get it out of my head and think of something else, it's still on my mind, stays there - don't know wheter I should be glad about that or not... 

When I first heard of the brutal gang rape of a young woman in India, leading to her death about a year ago I was shocked. I couldn't think of anything else. I simply couldn't understand how people could be that cruel. A gang rape. But it was just the beginning. Since then, media hasn't got tired of reporting on this issue. It seems to me that at least once in a month there's a new brutal case, a new victim. Some weeks ago I read about two girls who were first brutally raped and then hanged. These girls belonged to the lowest caste of Indian society, the Dalits, also known as the untouchables. It's a sad fact that the caste system does still exist in India and defines the society and everyday life. Women have hardly any rights and often become victims of rape. According to statistics, every 20 minutes a woman is raped in India. 

When I stumbled across this video I was once again reminded of my third reason for not going to India. I know that some people consider this a silly reason but I can't change it, as I said, I worry a lot. 

source: wildabouttrial.com (edited)

Nevertheless, the video raises awareness. The incredible number of rapes makes clear that too many people act like nothing is happening. I know that it takes immense courage to intervene in such a situation and keep a woman from being raped. Someone who tries to definitely risks his own live. But something needs to be done. The video shows that there are these brave men who do everything which is within their power but still, the number is too small. Women need protection but the sad truth is that unless the general position of women in India's society changes, the situation will just get worse. Change takes time and it will definitely take a very long time to change a system like the one in India, a system that has been existing for such a long time. That's why there is no more time to lose.