For a month, the country has been celebrating the Maha Kumbh Mela with millions of supporters who are on the way to take the Triveni Sangam Saint Dip. If at all, it is a spectacle of faith, devotion and culture. In the middle of this, two deeply shocking incidents have come to light in India and show what the privacy of brittle women and the widespread marketing of their body is. The first incident occurred in Rajkot, Gujarat, and included the illegal recording and sale of videos of female patients in a maternity hospital – a place that is supposed to be a safe space for expected mothers. In Uttar Pradesh, pictures of women were bathed in the Maha Kumbh mentioned above and changing clothing on the Internet.
In Uttar Pradesh, pictures of women bathing and clothing were circulated on the Internet in the Maha Kumbh mentioned above.
If you do not make this question the morals of the times when we live, this should. And these incidents are neither isolated nor occur in a vacuum, but are part of a larger pattern of systematic exploitation and the dehumanization of women in which their body and privacy are treated as goods for the only purpose of maintaining the male look.
The Rajkot -Motherhood Hospital Scandal: Women’s videos recorded without consent
On February 18, 2025 a disturbing report showed that private videos of patients in the Payal Department Hospital in Rajkot, Gujarat, were recorded without their consent and uploaded and uploaded on platforms such as YouTube. In addition, they were monetized for a fee from RS 999 to 1,500 rupees in the telegram. The videos, including intimate moments of gynäkleis settings, body investigations and after -care services, were allegedly recorded and distributed by hospital staff on CCTV.
Source: Fii
This incident is more than just a violation of privacy. It is a violation of the trust of hospitals and health facilities. Hospitals should be safe spaces in which women can search for vulnerable times without being afraid of judgment or exploitation. Instead, this incident only shows how the privacy of women can also be exploited in rooms that they should protect and protect them.
The marketing and marketing of these videos reduces women to mere objects that are intended for entertainment in order to remove them and autonomy. It also raises serious questions about the ethical standards of the health facilities and the accountability of the rulers.
Maha Kumbh Mela’s incident: compromises in the privacy of women
Around the same time, the country celebrated the large religious community of Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. To the horrors of numerous female followers, Pictures of them swim and change The clothes during the Maha Kumbh Mela had appeared online. The pictures that were recorded secretly without consent were shared on social media platforms, which led to massive outrage. The police have initiated an investigation since then, but the damage has already been done. For the women involved, the violation of their privacy is irreversible.
The incident is a strong example of the ubiquitous nature of gender -specific violence and for susceptibility with which women are confronted in public spaces.
Maha Kumbh Mela is one of the largest religious meetings in the world and a sacred event for millions of supporters. But women are not certain, even in such a sacred and cultural environment. It has become a space of vulnerability where their bodies were objectified and exploited. The incident is a strong example of the ubiquitous nature of gender -specific violence and for susceptibility with which women are confronted in public spaces. The default of the authorities is also emphasized to ensure the security and dignity of women in public space.
Source: Fii
Another remarkable incident is that Viral fame by Mona LisaA young woman who only became an overnight stay on the Internet because of the special way she looked. Their supposed beauty was not the topic of admiration, as most argued, but a spoiled form of fetishization. This was not a harmless appreciation. It was another example of how women cannot even exist in public without being objectified. One day she only lived her life. In the next, she trented through social media and the Internet – her privacy, security and autonomy thrown out the window because the men decided that she was “worthy” for attention. It was a strong example of how the male look in a deep patriarchal society how we work.
These incidents raise questions about how safe religious spaces are for women. While temples, mosques and other worship sites are said to be peace, spirituality and refuge, they are often places where women are exposed to discrimination, harassment and even violence. Regardless of whether it is the right to be refused without worrying about whether it is about the exclusion of women from certain religious practices, moral police work or the risk of being filmed and objectified. This not only reduces their participation and contributes to their exclusion, but also increases the idea that women themselves are secondary in faith – expected to meet social norms, while their security remains a subsequent thought.
The incidents in the Maha Kumbh Mela expressly make it clear that religious spaces without systemic changes are still unsure for women and force them to choose between faith and personal security.
The incidents in the Maha Kumbh Mela expressly make it clear that religious spaces without systemic changes are still unsure for women and force them to choose between faith and personal security. And what good is faith if the doors are closed for adoration for half of the social part?
Connecting the points: recurring events
These incidents are neither isolated nor unusual. They are part of a long history of women’s bodies that are exploited and exploited both online and offline. One of the most notorious examples is that “Sulli deals“Case that came to light in 2021. In this case, photos of Muslim women from their social media accounts were stolen and uploaded to an app in which they were “auctioned” as if they were. The app, which was held on GitHub, was put down after widespread protests, but the incident left a sustainable influence on the victims and emphasized the dangers of online rooms for women, especially for marginalized women and people who belong to minority communities.
Source: Fii
The Sulli deal case is only an example of how technology is used to maintain gender -specific violence. From deep false pornography to revenge porn, women’s bodies in the digital world are increasingly being exploited. The Rajkot incident reminds a strong memory of how technology can be instructed against women, even in rooms in which privacy and security are sacroshaked. With the widespread use and easy access to the Internet, the recording and not communicating is unimaginably easy. The fact that such a content is monetized further, incentives for misuse, creating a cycle of exploitation.
The broader context of marketing the bodies of women
The marketing of women’s bodies is not limited to these incidents. It is a global phenomenon that manifests itself in different forms. From the objectification of women in advertising to the exploitation of women in pornography industry, women’s bodies are often reduced to objects for consumption through male eyes. This marketing is based on patriarchal structures that view women as objects that they roam their humanity.
In India, the problem is exacerbated by deeply rooted gender inequality. After a study by the National Commission for Women, 54.8% of women have experienced cyber nuisance, during 26% Cases of transformed pictures or videos have reported. The lack of legal and social support for victims of gender -specific violence continues a culture of impunity and fearlessness, in which abusers like to commit such crimes.
The marketing of women’s bodies is also shown in the way women are shown in the media and popular culture.
The marketing of women’s bodies is also shown in the way women are shown in the media and popular culture. From Bollywood films to ads, women are often presented as objects of the desire that reinforce harmful stereotypes and normalize the objectification of women. This cultural normalization creates a cycle of exploitation, which makes it more difficult for society to recognize the severe such crimes.
Legal framework in India
India has several laws to protect the rights and privacy of women, but their implementation remains inconsistent. The Information technology law, 2000 And its changes offer provisions against cybercrime, including the non -mutual exchange of intimate images. Section 66e of the law deals especially with the violation of privacy with punishments such as imprisonment and fines. In addition, voyeurism and section 354d of section 354c of the IPC (IPC) of the Indian Criminal Code (IPC) are condemned.
Source: Fii
However, these laws often fall in terms of execution. The legal process is slow and the victims often stand out of social stigma and apathy, which hesitates to turn to the authorities. After a 2021 data With only 490 convictions in more than 18,000 cases, the condemnation rate for cybercrime in India is miserable for which accusations were submitted. This low conviction rate creates a scenario in which the victims are hesitant to report such crimes, and enables the abusers to remain fearless and continue to commit such crimes.
The way forward
Combating the reduction of the bodies of women and their subsequent dehumanization on such a large scale is required to create a safe space in which women can thrive and simply exist as humans (yes, the bar was set so low). The society as a whole must confront the patriarchal forces that maintain such practices. This requires a cultural change that women appreciate and dignity as individuals instead of consumption objects.
