For the past one month, the country has been engaged in celebrating the Maha Kumbh Mela with millions of devotees making their way to take holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. It is, if anything, a spectacle of faith, devotion and culture. But in the midst of this, two deeply shocking incidents have come to light in India, exposing just how brittle women’s privacy is and the widespread commodification of their bodies. The first incident occurred in Rajkot, Gujarat and involved the illegal recording and sale of videos of women patients at a maternity hospital—a place meant to be a safe space for expecting mothers. Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, at the aforementioned Maha Kumbh, images of women bathing and changing clothes were captured and circulated across the internet.
Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, at the aforementioned Maha Kumbh, images of women bathing and changing clothes were captured and circulated across the internet.
If this doesn’t make you question the morality of the times we are living in, it should. And these incidents are not isolated nor do they occur in a vacuum but rather, are a part of a larger pattern of systematic exploitation and dehumanisation of women, where their bodies and privacy are treated as commodities for the sole purpose of entertainment of the male gaze.
The Rajkot maternity hospital scandal: women’s videos recorded without consent
On February 18, 2025, a troubling report revealed that private videos of patients at Payal Maternity hospital in Rajkot, Gujarat, were being recorded without their consent and uploaded on platforms like YouTube. Furthermore, they were being monetised on Telegram for a fee ranging from Rs 999 to Rs 1,500. The videos, which included intimate moments of gyno-examinations, body checkups and post-delivery care, were allegedly recorded by hospital staff on CCTV and circulated.
This incident is more than just a breach of privacy. It is a violation of trust of hospitals and the healthcare institutions. Hospitals are supposed to be safe spaces where women can seek care at vulnerable times without fear of judgement or exploitation. Instead, this incident just goes to show how women’s privacy can be exploited even in spaces that are meant to protect and safeguard them.
The commodification and commercialisation of these videos reduces women to mere objects meant for entertainment stripping them of their dignity and autonomy. It also raises serious questions about the ethical standards of healthcare institutions and the accountability of those in power.
The Maha Kumbh mela incident: compromising women’s privacy
Around the same time the country was celebrating the grand religious congregation of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. To the horrors of numerous women devotees, pictures of them bathing and changing clothes during the Maha Kumbh Mela had surfaced online. The images, recorded in secret without consent, were shared on social media platforms, leading to massive outrage. The police have since initiated an investigation, but the damage has already been done. For the women involved, the violation of their privacy is irreversible.
The incident is a stark example of the ubiquitous nature of gender-based violence and the vulnerability that women face in public spaces.
The Maha Kumbh Mela is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world and is a sacred event for millions of devotees. But women, however, are not safe even in what is supposed to be such a sacred and cultural setting. It has become a space of vulnerability, where their bodies have been objectified and exploited. The incident is a stark example of the ubiquitous nature of gender-based violence and the vulnerability that women face in public spaces. It also highlights the failure of authorities to ensure the safety and dignity of women in public spaces.
Another notable incident is the viral fame of Mona Lisa, a young woman who became an overnight sensation on the internet just because of the particular way she looked. Her supposed beauty wasn’t the subject of admiration, as most argued, but was rather a depraved form of fetishisation. This wasn’t harmless appreciation. It was another example of how women can’t even exist in public without being objectified. One day, she was just living her life. The next, she was trending across social media and the internet—her privacy, safety and autonomy thrown out the window because men decided she was “worthy” of attention. It was a stark example of the way the male gaze works in a deeply patriarchal society as ours.
These incidents raise questions about how safe religious spaces are for women. While temples, mosques and other places of worship are meant to be spaces of peace, spirituality and refuge, they are often sites where women face discrimination, harassment, and even violence. Whether it is the exclusion of women from certain religious practices, the moral policing of their attire or the threat of being filmed and objectified, women are frequently denied the right to worship freely without fear. This not only reduces their participation and contributes to their exclusion but also reinforces the notion that even within faith, women are secondary—expected to conform to societal norms while their safety remains an afterthought.
The incidents at the Maha Kumbh Mela make it explicitly clear that without systemic changes, religious spaces will continue to be unsafe for women, forcing them to choose between faith and personal security.
The incidents at the Maha Kumbh Mela make it explicitly clear that without systemic changes, religious spaces will continue to be unsafe for women, forcing them to choose between faith and personal security. And what good is faith if the doors to worship is closed for half the section of society?
Connecting the dots: recurring occurrences
These incidents are not isolated or uncommon. They are part of a long history of women’s bodies being commodified and exploited, both online and offline. One of the most infamous examples is the “Sulli Deals” case, which came to light in 2021. In this case, photos of Muslim women were stolen from their social media accounts and uploaded to an app where they were “auctioned” as if they were commodities. The app, which was hosted on GitHub, was taken down after widespread protests, but the incident left a lasting impact on the victims and highlighted the dangers of online spaces for women, especially marginalised women and those belonging to minority communities.
The Sulli Deals case is just one example of how technology is being used to perpetuate gender-based violence. From deep fake pornography to revenge porn, women’s bodies are increasingly being exploited in the digital world. The Rajkot incident is a stark reminder of how technology can be weaponised against women, even in spaces where privacy and safety are sacrosanct. With the widespread use and easy access to the internet, recording and sharing non-consensual content has become unimaginably simple. The fact that such content is monetised further incentivises abusers, creating a cycle of exploitation.
The broader context of commodification of women’s bodies
The commodification of women’s bodies is not limited to these incidents; it is a global phenomenon that manifests in various forms. From the objectification of women in advertising to the exploitation of women in the pornography industry, women’s bodies are often reduced to objects for consumption by the male gaze. This commodification is rooted in patriarchal structures that view women as objects stripping them of their humanity.
In India, the problem is exacerbated by deeply entrenched gender inequalities. According to a study by the National Commission for Women, 54.8% of women have experienced cyber harassment, while 26% of them have reported cases of morphed images or videos. The lack of legal and social support for victims of gender-based violence perpetuates a culture of impunity and fearlessness, where abusers feel free to commit such crimes.
The commodification of women’s bodies is also evident in the way women are portrayed in media and popular culture.
The commodification of women’s bodies is also evident in the way women are portrayed in media and popular culture. From Bollywood films to advertisements, women are often depicted as objects of desire, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and normalising the objectification of women. This cultural normalisation creates a cycle of exploitation that makes it harder for society to recognise the gravity of such crimes.
Legal framework in India
India has several laws aimed at protecting women’s rights and privacy, but their implementation remains inconsistent. The Information Technology Act, 2000 and its amendments provide provisions against cybercrimes, including the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. Section 66E of the Act specifically addresses the violation of privacy, with penalties including imprisonment and fines. Additionally, Section 354C of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) criminalises voyeurism and Section 354D addresses stalking.
However, these laws often fall short when it comes to execution. The legal process is slow and victims frequently face social stigma and apathy making them hesitant to approach authorities. According to a 2021 data the conviction rate for cybercrimes in India is abysmally poor with just 490 convictions in more than 18,000 cases for which chargesheets were filed. This low conviction rate creates a scenario where victims grow hesitant to report such crimes and in turn, enables abusers to stay fearless and further perpetrate such crimes.
The way forward
Addressing the commodification of women’s bodies and their subsequent dehumanisation on such a large scale is necessary inorder to create a safe space where women can thrive and simply exist as human beings (yes, the bar has been set so low). Society as a whole must confront the patriarchal forces that perpetuate such practices. This requires a cultural shift that values women as individuals with rights and dignity, rather than as objects for consumption.
