Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Calls for More Action to Protect Women in India Following Gang-Rape Case
Bollywood beauty Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has called for more action to be taken to protect women in India in light of the horrific gang-rape of a student which grabbed headlines two months ago.
A promising 23-year-old medical student was brutally gang-raped by six men and abused with a rod, causing irreparable internal injuries which eventually led to her death. The crime sparked riots and outrage across India, highlighting gang-rape and sexual harassment which is actually common in India.
The indignant mother-of-one recently spoke out about the safety of women in her country at an awards ceremony in New Delhi.
"I don't feel fear, rather there is a lot of anger and I don't hesitate to say this. Many of us are privileged to have a lot of assurance about our safety but most of the women in our country do not have that," Aishwarya said, according to India Times. "A lot is being said but a lot more needs to be done about it. There should be definite laws for offenders. They should be punished immediately. That is when we will see the change in the society."
She continued: "The incident has brought about a lot of attention and awareness but the change needs to come immediately."
Aishwarya's comments come as lawmakers in India prepare to tighten laws on sexual assault against women.
The Bollywood star was crowned Miss World in 1994. She married movie star Abhishek Bachchan in 2007 and gave birth to their daughter in November 2011.