Before a girl is raped and killed

If we want fewer names on protest banners tomorrow, we must start listening to the unheard voices today.

Every time a girl is raped or murdered, society responds with outrage. The busy streets of the capital fill with protestors demanding justice, while institutions promise investigations. Social media buzzes with posts calling for accountability and justice. Yet, amid this collective anger, one uncomfortable question often remains neglected: What were the social conditions that existed before the crime? Violence of such magnitude rarely emerges in isolation. If rape represents the extreme expression of patriarchy, then we must examine the social ladder beneath it: Normalisation of male entitlement, silencing of female voices, everyday behaviours, institutional failures and cultural tolerances.