We Failed Her Again!

By Shamim Zakaria

15 December, 2015
Countercurrents.org

December 10, 2015- while fans were celebrating, elite panelists were discussing the ramifications and news channels were running bold tickers on Bollywood star Salman Khan’s acquittal; there was news in another metro city of India as well. When ‘human interest’ is said to be the main crux of a news story; despite this news bearing all elements perhaps wasn’t of much interest. Apparently because she is no celebrity, giving airtime or news-space can’t bring the required TRP!

However, the media did carry the news and this is how they portrayed her ‘again’-

Kolkata Park Street rape case: Three accused found guilty
-The Hindu

Park Street gang rape verdict: Court sentences three convicts to 10-years jail
-The Indian Express

Family of Park Street Rape Victim 'Very Happy' With Verdict
-Outlook India

Her soul will now rest in peace: Park Street rape victim's family
-Hindustan Times

Perhaps for a stratum inside newsroom she is a mere rape victim who has recently been ushered with justice, however for many women of similar fate she is Suzette Jordan, a ray of hope. A women bearing nerves of steel who dared to smash all adversity.

Looking back to that horrendous happening, this was how her story was reported by web portal firstpost.com-

“Suzette Jordan went out with friends to have a couple of drinks at a nightclub in a five star hotel in Kolkata in February 2012.

At the end of the night, she was thrown from a car onto the street, bruised, battered, gang-raped, her clothes ripped half off. Her personal tragedy soon became a political football. The Chief Minister dismissed her case as a sajano ghatana (manufactured incident). Ministers made remarks about Jordan’s character – what kind of a mother would be out at discotheque so late at night?”

It was 2012 I was a journalism student then. With full of vigor and youthful bravado, and words like neutrality, ethics and impartiality being the crux of my conversation.

But I too believed what the media portrayed and was prey to the ‘magic bullet theory.’ I didn’t bother to dig out more facts or look beyond what was obvious!

I espied narrating her monstrous tale in one of the episodes of Satyamev Jayata on rapes in India. She was fierce, fearless and was valiant as ever. A shiver tickled me while I was listening her horrific tale!

She rose from being ‘Park street rape victim’ to ‘Park street rape survivor’ and eventually Suzette Jordan- the rape ‘thriver.’ She firmly believed that committing a heinous act like rape is a shame for the perpetrators and not the victims. “Why should I hide my identity and dissipate to oblivion. I’m at no fault on being raped and similar is with every victim,” she roared during an interview to NDTV.

I heard her once again speaking as a panelist during the 2013 Tehelka Think Fest, more than the horrifying rape what’s more daunting were the events that followed next in her quest for justice. She recalled how sections of the society lamented her and went on to brand her as a ‘prostitute.’ But, she kept going or rather fighting amidst all odds!

But, I believe we have failed her again. Despite the fact that three years and 10 months later, three of her rapists were pronounced guilty and sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment while two other accused are still at large. This is how I discern why we have let her down again. As I was doing some fact checks for carving this piece, punching in key words Suzette Jordan gave only a very few valid search results, but with ‘Park street rape case’, a galore of result popped up. As quoted above despite her relentless efforts and calls the media too didn’t shy away from introducing her as ‘Park street rape survivor’ and not Suzette Jordan!

The reason she chose to reveal her identity was because she had one which every survivor has. But above it was to send out the message loud and clear to those thousands of other victims, they aren’t at shame but the culprits should be ashamed.

BBC ran this news as, ‘Suzette Jordan: Three sentenced to 10 years in jail over Kolkata gang rape.’ I am not comparing our country’s media to that of foreign journalism, but all I can say is Indian journalism assuredly needs to redefine the virtue of human interest!

Suzette Jordan died this March due to multiple organ failure after battling with meningitis and encephalitis. She may not have smacked this joyous moment but as Suzette’s daughter said certainly her soul would be in peace now!

(Shamim Zakaria is an Indian journalist and political writer presently based in England, pursuing a master’s program in International Journalism from University of Sussex. He hails from the northeastern state of Assam’s Guwahati. His works can be viewed on www.shamimzakaria.com)