In the wake of murder-rape of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, another medical college in Assam has issued advisory to female doctors, students and healthcare workers.
This has resulted in widespread outrage on social media with some calling it "camouflaged victim-shaming" and slamming the hospital for telling female staff and students to behave instead of ensuring security at the hospital.
The advisory issued by Silchar Medical College And Hospital asks women in to avoid isolated, poorly lit and sparsely populated areas. It also tells women to avoid situations where they are alone, refrain from leaving hostel or lodging rooms at night unless absolutely necessary and inform the concerned authority beforehand. They were also told not to go off-campus during late hours.
In the advisory signed by the superintendents of the hospital asks women to avoid associating with unknown or suspicious individuals and to ensure they have means of making emergency contact in case of urgent situations.
It goes on to tell the staff and students to be "well composed emotionally" while on duty and remain alert about the surroundings. Another contentious statement in the advisory is asking the women to "graciously" interact with the public so that they don't attract attention of unscrupulous people.
The advisory was slammed by users on X, with one saying, "Composed emotionally, remain alert!? Are they training to become doctors or Secret agents!? Morons!". Another said, "They could have started with implementing more security, strict action against offenders and grievances redressal. It would have been so much better."
A third user said, "Seriously, instead of taming the guys, they are stopping women......"
Dr Jaison Philip, a urologist, expressed his shock, asking, "What about menstrual mood swings, that are physiological? Control that too? Is she a human, or robot? Camouflaged victim-shaming."
Another doctor said this circular should be for all the men and that if men are taken out of the equation, women have nothing to be afraid of. She added that people holding women responsible for men's bad behaviour must also be kept away from making statements.
One user wondered why women has to suffer in every country and every religion while another called the advisory shameful.
One outrage user asked, "Have they issued similar guidelines to the male students/staff? Tell the men to stay away from places where women are. Tell men to stay inside hostel after 6.00 pm. Tell security & police to ensure bright lighting all around college, hospital, all the streets. No man outside".
A woman user wondered what the guidelines are for a six-month-old child, asking if the girl shouldn't wear a short dress, shouldn't cry for milk outside feeding time, shouldn't smile at unfamiliar faces or shouldn't display a friendly and approachable demeanor. She went on to add, "Victim blaming is utterly repulsive and abhorrent".