Kochi Hospital To Train Women In Martial Arts: Mindful Or Misguided?

A private hospital in Kochi, Kerala, has reportedly implemented martial arts training for women doctors in the wake of nationwide protests demanding the safety of medical professionals. The outcry erupted in response to the brutal rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital that sent shockwaves through India. Kochi's VPS Lakeshore Hospital has reportedly launched an initiative to ensure the protection of their female staff and other women across Kerala against such crimes.

Martial Arts, SOS App, Sex Education: Kochi Hospital's Plans

According to a report in On Manorama, the hospital has allocated ₹50 lakh to implement the martial arts training project. While the program is said to be mandatory for the hospital's female staff, it is also being extended to other women across Kerala. The project is said to be implemented in collaboration with local bodies and with support from the State government.

A spokesperson from the hospital told the media, "Through this initiative, the hospital aims to instil confidence and resilience in our team. The hospital believes that martial arts training will not only enhance their physical defence capabilities but also boost their mental strength. Trained individuals will be deployed in schools, corporate offices, and other areas to train more women in the workforce."

The spokesperson added that they plan to train at least 50,000 women across Kerala. The hospital has also planned to distribute 'safety kits' to women, which would include self-defence tools like pepper spray and other safety equipment. The hospital is also set to conduct sex education classes for students in collaboration with child and women welfare committees.

Additionally, the hospital is partnering with the Kerala Police to train women in using the Police SOS application. The hospital has reportedly also developed its own SOS mobile application to transmit the user's live location to the campus security desk and selected HODs to "ensure authorities are instantly alerted" in case of an emergency within the hospital premises.

Will These Help?

The hospital's proactive efforts to empower women with the tools and knowledge to protect themselves are both commendable and much-needed, especially given the challenging scenario that many female employees face in the workplace. It shows their commitment to take a stand for their staff against potential threats and safeguard the well-being of women. 

However, training women in martial arts and equipping them with self-protection tools are often putting the onus of safety only on women. It is like a euphemism for victim blaming, where the burden of avoiding sexual violence and harassment is shouldered by women. Expecting women to defend themselves instead of addressing genuine systemic change is like putting a band-aid on a deep wound. 

Additionally, how handy are these measures going to be when offenders often target women in their vulnerable moments? Let's take the RG Kar case for example-- reports state that the 31-year-old woman was taking a rest in the seminar hall on campus when she was attacked. How can we expect a person to be constantly alert and aware of their surroundings?

As mentioned, the Kochi hospital's move to initiate some action is appreciable, however, the sexual violence problem has become far too ingrained in Indian society to be tackled by such surface-level measures. Real progress requires a commitment to a broader cultural change and addressing gender bias, harassment, and inequity.

As Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud said while overseeing the Kolkata case, "As more and more women join the workforce, the nation cannot wait for another rape for things to change on the ground."

Views expressed by the author are their own