In a shocking revelation, students in some Indian medical colleges are reportedly subjected to extreme forms of ragging, where seniors force them to memorise and recite obscene content from booklets. These booklets, labeled as “personality development programs” or “medical literature,” are rife with degrading sexual references, promoting misogyny and rape culture under the guise of initiation rituals, reported The Times of India.
Memorise vulgar content
Freshers are required to carry these booklets and memorise vulgar descriptions of women, often involving explicit comparisons to objects and derogatory language. The content portrays women, including classmates, nurses, and patients, as mere sexual objects, even glorifying acts of sexual violence. Students who make a mistake during recitation are punished, either by being forced to start over or endure humiliation.
The problem extends beyond ragging sessions. A senior female doctor recounted instances of male anesthesiologists and surgeons making inappropriate jokes about unconscious patients during surgeries. According to her, “Joking about patients’ bodies when they are unconscious on the operation table is some of the cheapest things that I have seen male anaesthesiologists and surgeons do.” This behavior points to a deeply entrenched culture of misogyny within parts of the medical community.
Normalising rape culture
Gender violence activists and experts have described these practices as grooming young professionals into normalising as well as perpetuating rape culture. Despite anti-ragging laws and campaigns, these incidents highlight the urgent need for stricter enforcement and cultural reforms in medical institutions to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all students and staff.
