The murder of two women in a single day, that of one of India’s leading perfumers at Sangolda and that of a senior citizen at Curchorem, has sent shock waves across the State. The murders raise concerns about the safety of women in the State. The general feeling that Goa is safe for women could now be a myth. People in the country have always raised concerns about the safety of women in Delhi and the Nirbhaya case had drawn the attention of the entire nation. However, there seems to be a distinct difference between the way women are unsafe in Delhi and in Goa. While in Delhi women are unsafe on the streets, ironically in Goa women seem to be unsafe in their own homes.
The women who appear to be the targets are single women who live alone and elderly women who also live either alone or with their ageing husbands. This only exposes the vulnerability of women in our society, especially of those women who live far away from their homes and have made Goa their home in order to pursue their career. Many people have made Goa their home. One of the reasons for this is that Goa is peaceful and offers opportunities for everyone willing to invest their talent here.
What has been shocking was that the murder of the ace perfumer has taken place in a peaceful village like Sangolda and not in some heavily populated cities of the State. This goes to prove that no place in Goa could be entirely free from crime.
