Kolkata Rape & Murder: Searches for Victim's 'Video' Trend on Google, Porn Sites

This is not the first time this trend is being seen after a major rape case.

(Trigger warning: Description of rape)

National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) from 2022 showed that a rape is reported every 16 minutes in India. The rape and murder case of a 31-year-old in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has put focus on this again. But another worrying aspect has come to light in the context of this case.

Since the case was reported on 9 August, the postgraduate trainee doctor's name featured in top searches on Google. One would think it would be about seeking information on her case, but there's more to it.

The victim's name followed by phrases "rap(e) video" and '"rap(e) photo" have seen a surge of around 160-190% increase in terms of google search, The Quint found after analysing Google Trends as of 2 PM on 20 August.

A caveat: these numbers and the rising surge keep changing in real time on Google Trends as they feed on more searches and algorithm.

The names of rape survivors or those who are killed after rape, have often figured among top searches on Google and even on porn sites.

We have hidden their names in this screenshot to conceal their identities.

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In the Kolkata doctor's case, shortly after the incident was reported, various graphic and traumatic details of the nature of rape were circulated all over social media.

Her body was found in the morning in the seminar hall of the pulmonology department where she had reportedly gone to take a quick nap during her 36-hour long shift.

Several other reports of rape cases also came forth in the past 10 days, however, possibly due to the national media coverage and harrowing details of the case, the searches for her case also increased.

Most Searches Between 17-20 Aug; Her 'Caste' Searched Too

The Quint found that searches for the rape 'video' increased from 16 August and reached its peak between 17 to 20 August at different intervals.

Besides the video and images, another aspect of the victim that was searched often: Her caste.

The search for the video also found its way to YouTube where the searches were the highest on the night of 19 August. Along with the search for her video, Google also showed a rise in search for the images related to her rape.

This is not all.

A worrying trend that has become more pervasive than before, is how after a rape case, internet users begin searching for their video on porn sites.

For instance, in the Kolkata doctor's case, the victim's name was searched over 3,000 times as can be seen below on a highly frequented pornography site called 'X Videos.'

It must be noted that the accused who has been arrested in this case, Sanjay Roy has been reported of having a disturbing addiction to porn.

"The pornography content in his mobile phone was quite disturbing and violent. We wonder about the state of his mind as watching such things is quite unnatural," a police officer had told PTI.

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From Kathua to Hyderabad — Why This Is Not The First Time

These searches are not limited to the Kolkata doctor's case alone. It is symptomatic of a larger, deeply alarming pattern.

This was seen even in the infamous Kathua rape case — of an 8-year-old. A Facebook page 'Humans of Hindutva' had posted in 2018 of how the minor victim's name was among top trends in searches on the website. It was later cross-checked and reported on as well.

In November 2019, a woman's body was found charred to death near a highway on the outskirts of Telangana's Hyderabad.

Later, it was reported that the victim, a veterinary doctor in her mid 20s, was gang-raped and set on fire.

This sparked outrage in several parts of the country. But what also followed was this: the victim's name became a trending tag on the same porn site mentioned above.

In fact, a petition was then started on change.org to pull down the search.

Though there is need for more quantitative research on the direct link between porn addiction and rising crimes against women, psychologists have talked about this correlation.

Child psychologists opined that minors, who frequently watch porn, behave aggressively. Speaking to The New Indian Express, they attributed the rise in sexual crimes to access to pornographic content on websites and lack of parental supervision. “Teenagers and youngsters, addicted to pornography, are more prone to commit crimes," they said.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, taking note of RG Kar hospital case, on Tuesday, 20 August, said that "nation cannot wait for another rape or murder for real changes on the ground."

After initiating a Suo Motu case in this matter, Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud stated that the case raises 'systemic issues' related to the safety of doctors across India.

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