Women In India Are Wearing Cow Masks To Protest Sexism

A powerful photography project is raising the question of whether it’s safer to be a cow in India than to be a woman.

Sujatro Ghosh, an artist and avowed feminist, is encouraging women to don cow masks to protest the double standard that exists for women in his home country.

Sexual violence against women has become a prominent issue in India following several widely covered rape cases, including the gang rape and subsequent death of a medical student on a bus in Delhi in December 2012.

In 2015, just 29 percent of rape cases in India lead to a conviction, according to Delhi police data. Just 12 percent of men accused of raping a child were convicted.

The issue of sexual violence isn’t unique to India ― far from it, as U.S. rape statistics show. But for Ghosh and many women activists, the problem gets compounded by the irony that, in India, you could get killed for harming a cow.

“I am perturbed by the fact that in my country, cows are considered more important than a woman, that it takes much longer for a woman who is raped or assaulted to get justice than for a cow which many Hindus consider a sacred animal,” Ghosh told the BBC.

Several states in India ban the slaughter of cows, which are considered sacred by many Hindus. In the state of Gujarat, the slaughter of cows can lead to a sentence of life imprisonment. A member of the country’s leading Bharatiya Janata Party recently introduced the Cow Protection Bill, which would make the crime punishable by death.

In the past two years, roughly a dozen people have been killed for harming a cow, BBC reports. For Ghosh and other activists, the same kind of outrage doesn’t seem to exist when the victim is a woman.

To highlight the issue, Ghosh photographed women wearing cow masks and posted the images on Instagram with quotes from some of the participants.

“At least if I walk down the streets in a cow mask, my chances of being harassed will probably be slim. No one wants to harass anyone who looks like a deity or a representative of a deity,” Nicole, one of the photo’s subjects, told Ghosh.

Suchismita, another participant, was quoted saying: “In a country with astounding levels of rape, molestation, abuse and other manners of crimes perpetrated against women, it is beyond sick that the matter of cow protection and religion has more traction. What use are protected cows and religious sentiments if half the population of the country needs to live in constant threat in order to facilitate it?”

“These last few years, I’ve realized injecting humor is the only way to tackle these idiots,” she added.

Scroll down to see photos from Ghosh’s series below:

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Nirmala

MAHARASHTRA, INDIA - NOVEMBER 12:  5 year old Nirmala (name changed), who was raped by her mother's boss, poses for a photo with her mother and father on November 12, 2015 in Maharashtra, India. One day Nirmala's mother gave her money to go to the corner store and buy food. While Nirmala was walking the man came up to her and offered to buy her candy. He took her to a wooded area behind an apartment building complex, raped her, and inserted a pen inside her. He left her naked and bleeding heavily. She required two surgeries and stayed in the hospital for three months. They caught the man two weeks later. Since he's been in jail, his family keeps coming to Nirmala's family offering them money to drop the court case. Nirmala's family has since moved to a different neighborhood because the neighbors were gossiping, saying things like 'The girl's life is spoiled, what will you do now?'. Nirmala's mother says they won't accept the money offered by the rapist's family, that they want justice instead. (Photo by Getty Images)
MAHARASHTRA, INDIA - NOVEMBER 12:  5 year old Nirmala (name changed), who was raped by her mother's boss, poses for a photo with her mother and father on November 12, 2015 in Maharashtra, India. One day Nirmala's mother gave her money to go to the corner store and buy food. While Nirmala was walking the man came up to her and offered to buy her candy. He took her to a wooded area behind an apartment building complex, raped her, and inserted a pen inside her. He left her naked and bleeding heavily. She required two surgeries and stayed in the hospital for three months. They caught the man two weeks later. Since he's been in jail, his family keeps coming to Nirmala's family offering them money to drop the court case. Nirmala's family has since moved to a different neighborhood because the neighbors were gossiping, saying things like 'The girl's life is spoiled, what will you do now?'. Nirmala's mother says they won't accept the money offered by the rapist's family, that they want justice instead. (Photo by Getty Images)

Priyanka

UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - AUGUST 2: 15 year old Priyanka (name changed) poses for a photo on August 2, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. She was raped by a neighbor last year when she was 14 years old. The neighbor had been harassing her for a long time and then one night he came on motorcycles with friends and threatened to kill her if she didn't get on the bike with him. He took her to a friend's house and raped her. For 10 days the police refused to register a case against him and when they did, they held her for two days in the station until she agreed to say in the statement that she went willingly with the him. Priyaka and her family say that he comes from a rich, influential family. The people in her village gossip, they say that she ran away willingly with him and that she did bad things. After the rape he continues to harass her, sending his friends to tell her that if he sees her he will kill her, that he will come and kidnap her sisters, that he will kill her father. Recently the rapist and his friends saw her father on the road and they beat up him. Two weeks ago Priyanka was wed to a 22 year old man in a marriage that her family arranged for her. They were worried about her safety and Priyanka thought that she would be safer if she was married and living in a different village. Her husband doesn't know about the rape, and the rapist has sent letters to her home threatening to tell her new family and break up the marriage. 'I feel angry. There's nothing left in me.' Priyanka says. (Photo by Getty Images)
UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - AUGUST 2: The house where 15 year old Priyanka (name changed) was raped is seen on August 2, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. She was raped by a neighbor last year when she was 14 years old. The neighbor had been harassing her for a long time and then one night he came on motorcycles with friends and threatened to kill her if she didn't get on the bike with him. He took her to a friend's house and raped her. For 10 days the police refused to register a case against him and when they did, they held her for two days in the station until she agreed to say in the statement that she went willingly with the him. Priyaka and her family say that he comes from a rich, influential family. The people in her village gossip, they say that she ran away willingly with him and that she did bad things. After the rape he continues to harass her, sending his friends to tell her that if he sees her he will kill her, that he will come and kidnap her sisters, that he will kill her father. Recently the rapist and his friends saw her father on the road and they beat up him. Two weeks ago Priyanka was wed to a 22 year old man in a marriage that her family arranged for her. They were worried about her safety and Priyanka thought that she would be safer if she was married and living in a different village. Her husband doesn't know about the rape, and the rapist has sent letters to her home threatening to tell her new family and break up the marriage. 'I feel angry. There's nothing left in me.' Priyanka says. (Photo by Getty Images)
UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - AUGUST 2: 15 year old Priyanka (name changed) is seen on August 2, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. She was raped by a neighbor last year when she was 14 years old. The neighbor had been harassing her for a long time and then one night he came on motorcycles with friends and threatened to kill her if she didn't get on the bike with him. He took her to a friend's house and raped her. For 10 days the police refused to register a case against him and when they did, they held her for two days in the station until she agreed to say in the statement that she went willingly with the him. Priyaka and her family say that he comes from a rich, influential family. The people in her village gossip, they say that she ran away willingly with him and that she did bad things. After the rape he continues to harass her, sending his friends to tell her that if he sees her he will kill her, that he will come and kidnap her sisters, that he will kill her father. Recently the rapist and his friends saw her father on the road and they beat up him. Two weeks ago Priyanka was wed to a 22 year old man in a marriage that her family arranged for her. They were worried about her safety and Priyanka thought that she would be safer if she was married and living in a different village. Her husband doesn't know about the rape, and the rapist has sent letters to her home threatening to tell her new family and break up the marriage. 'I feel angry. There's nothing left in me.' Priyanka says. (Photo by Getty Images)
UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - AUGUST 2: 15 year old Priyanka (name changed) fixes her hair on August 2, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. She was raped by a neighbor last year when she was 14 years old. The neighbor had been harassing her for a long time and then one night he came on motorcycles with friends and threatened to kill her if she didn't get on the bike with him. He took her to a friend's house and raped her. For 10 days the police refused to register a case against him and when they did, they held her for two days in the station until she agreed to say in the statement that she went willingly with the him. Priyaka and her family say that he comes from a rich, influential family. The people in her village gossip, they say that she ran away willingly with him and that she did bad things. After the rape he continues to harass her, sending his friends to tell her that if he sees her he will kill her, that he will come and kidnap her sisters, that he will kill her father. Recently the rapist and his friends saw her father on the road and they beat up him. Two weeks ago Priyanka was wed to a 22 year old man in a marriage that her family arranged for her. They were worried about her safety and Priyanka thought that she would be safer if she was married and living in a different village. Her husband doesn't know about the rape, and the rapist has sent letters to her home threatening to tell her new family and break up the marriage. 'I feel angry. There's nothing left in me.' Priyanka says. (Photo by Getty Images)

Sadaf

UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 8:  8 year old Sadaf (name changed) stands for a photo in her home on September 8, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. 3 months ago she was raped by a doctor in her village. She was walking to the market to buy sweets when the doctor, who her family estimates is around 50 years old, forcefully pulled her inside his clinic and raped her. Afterwards she stumbled out onto the street and fainted. When her family found her she was covered in blood and profusely bleeding. She told them what happened and they went to the police but the police refused to register a case, they said that they should compromise because the doctor was offering them 2 lakh rupees (around $2,989) to drop the case. The family refused, and says 'They destroyed the life of our child, how can we compromise?'. They estimate that they and their neighbors had to go to the police station 10 times before the police agreed to register the case. For 5 days after the rape, Sadaf bled and they had to shuffle from hospital to hospital looking for a hospital that had facilities that could provide adequate care for her. Since the rape Sadaf has been sick and week and is too afraid to leave the house or return to school. The family is also afraid to let her leave the house because they say the rapist comes from a rich and powerful family and could harm her or kidnap her. Before the rape she enjoyed going to school and dreamed of being an English teacher when she grows up. She loved to play board games and cricket with her best friend, Nisha, but she hasn't seen her for 3 months. Sadaf's uncle, who is fighting the case, has taken out two loans to help pay for transportation to the court house and for lawyer bills. Every time he has to go to court he must take off work from his job as a day laborer. (Photo by Getty Images)
UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 8:  8 year old Sadaf's (name changed) school bag hangs from her wall on September 8, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. 3 months ago she was raped by a doctor in her village. She was walking to the market to buy sweets when the doctor, who her family estimates is around 50 years old, forcefully pulled her inside his clinic and raped her. Afterwards she stumbled out onto the street and fainted. When her family found her she was covered in blood and profusely bleeding. She told them what happened and they went to the police but the police refused to register a case, they said that they should compromise because the doctor was offering them 2 lakh rupees (around $2,989) to drop the case. The family refused, and says 'They destroyed the life of our child, how can we compromise?'. They estimate that they and their neighbors had to go to the police station 10 times before the police agreed to register the case. For 5 days after the rape, Sadaf bled and they had to shuffle from hospital to hospital looking for a hospital that had facilities that could provide adequate care for her. Since the rape Sadaf has been sick and week and is too afraid to leave the house or return to school. The family is also afraid to let her leave the house because they say the rapist comes from a rich and powerful family and could harm her or kidnap her. Before the rape she enjoyed going to school and dreamed of being an English teacher when she grows up. She loved to play board games and cricket with her best friend, Nisha, but she hasn't seen her for 3 months. Sadaf's uncle, who is fighting the case, has taken out two loans to help pay for transportation to the court house and for lawyer bills. Every time he has to go to court he must take off work from his job as a day laborer. (Photo by Getty Images)
UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 8:  8 year old Sadaf (name changed) stands for a photo on September 8, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. 3 months ago she was raped by a doctor in her village. She was walking to the market to buy sweets when the doctor, who her family estimates is around 50 years old, forcefully pulled her inside his clinic and raped her. Afterwards she stumbled out onto the street and fainted. When her family found her she was covered in blood and profusely bleeding. She told them what happened and they went to the police but the police refused to register a case, they said that they should compromise because the doctor was offering them 2 lakh rupees (around $2,989) to drop the case. The family refused, and says 'They destroyed the life of our child, how can we compromise?'. They estimate that they and their neighbors had to go to the police station 10 times before the police agreed to register the case. For 5 days after the rape, Sadaf bled and they had to shuffle from hospital to hospital looking for a hospital that had facilities that could provide adequate care for her. Since the rape Sadaf has been sick and week and is too afraid to leave the house or return to school. The family is also afraid to let her leave the house because they say the rapist comes from a rich and powerful family and could harm her or kidnap her. Before the rape she enjoyed going to school and dreamed of being an English teacher when she grows up. She loved to play board games and cricket with her best friend, Nisha, but she hasn't seen her for 3 months. Sadaf's uncle, who is fighting the case, has taken out two loans to help pay for transportation to the court house and for lawyer bills. Every time he has to go to court he must take off work from his job as a day laborer. (Photo by Getty Images)
UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 8:  The doctor's clinic where 8 year old Sadaf (name changed) was raped is seen on September 8, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. 3 months ago she was raped by a doctor in her village. She was walking to the market to buy sweets when the doctor, who her family estimates is around 50 years old, forcefully pulled her inside his clinic and raped her. Afterwards she stumbled out onto the street and fainted. When her family found her she was covered in blood and profusely bleeding. She told them what happened and they went to the police but the police refused to register a case, they said that they should compromise because the doctor was offering them 2 lakh rupees (around $2,989) to drop the case. The family refused, and says 'They destroyed the life of our child, how can we compromise?'. They estimate that they and their neighbors had to go to the police station 10 times before the police agreed to register the case. For 5 days after the rape, Sadaf bled and they had to shuffle from hospital to hospital looking for a hospital that had facilities that could provide adequate care for her. Since the rape Sadaf has been sick and week and is too afraid to leave the house or return to school. The family is also afraid to let her leave the house because they say the rapist comes from a rich and powerful family and could harm her or kidnap her. Before the rape she enjoyed going to school and dreamed of being an English teacher when she grows up. She loved to play board games and cricket with her best friend, Nisha, but she hasn't seen her for 3 months. Sadaf's uncle, who is fighting the case, has taken out two loans to help pay for transportation to the court house and for lawyer bills. Every time he has to go to court he must take off work from his job as a day laborer. (Photo by Getty Images)

Dipti

UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 9: 7 year old Dipti (name changed) poses for a photo on her roof, where she was raped two years ago, on September 9, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. Two years ago, when she was 4 years old, she was raped by a neighbor, who the family says is about 27 years old now. The rape happened when her mother was at the market and her father was taking a shower. The neighbor found her playing up on the roof of her house and he raped her. Her father came up after his shower and asked her why her pants were wet, and she told him what happened to her. He took her to the police station where they registered a case. Her family asked the police for medical treatment for her, but the police responded 'your daughter looks fine, all we need is her pants for the investigation.'. Her family says that the community is torn, many people support them, but many others sympathize with the rapist because he is the only male of the family, and if he goes to jail they say no one will be able to financially support his family. He was in jail for 1 and 1/2 years, but now he is out on bail, and has offered the family 80,000 rupees (about $1195) to drop the case. After the rape, Dipti stayed home from school for 15 days because people were approaching her on the road to school, threatening that they would attack her brother unless her family dropped the case. (Photo by Getty Images)
UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 9: The roof of her home where 7 year old Dipti (name changed) was raped is seen on September 9, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. Two years ago, when she was 4 years old, she was raped by a neighbor, who the family says is about 27 years old now. The rape happened when her mother was at the market and her father was taking a shower. The neighbor found her playing up on the roof of her house and he raped her. Her father came up after his shower and asked her why her pants were wet, and she told him what happened to her. He took her to the police station where they registered a case. Her family asked the police for medical treatment for her, but the police responded 'your daughter looks fine, all we need is her pants for the investigation.'. Her family says that the community is torn, many people support them, but many others sympathize with the rapist because he is the only male of the family, and if he goes to jail they say no one will be able to financially support his family. He was in jail for 1 and 1/2 years, but now he is out on bail, and has offered the family 80,000 rupees (about $1195) to drop the case. After the rape, Dipti stayed home from school for 15 days because people were approaching her on the road to school, threatening that they would attack her brother unless her family dropped the case. (Photo by Getty Images)
UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 9: 7 year old Dipti (name changed) studies her school books on September 9, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. Two years ago, when she was 4 years old, she was raped by a neighbor, who the family says is about 27 years old now. The rape happened when her mother was at the market and her father was taking a shower. The neighbor found her playing up on the roof of her house and he raped her. Her father came up after his shower and asked her why her pants were wet, and she told him what happened to her. He took her to the police station where they registered a case. Her family asked the police for medical treatment for her, but the police responded 'your daughter looks fine, all we need is her pants for the investigation.'. Her family says that the community is torn, many people support them, but many others sympathize with the rapist because he is the only male of the family, and if he goes to jail they say no one will be able to financially support his family. He was in jail for 1 and 1/2 years, but now he is out on bail, and has offered the family 80,000 rupees (about $1195) to drop the case. After the rape, Dipti stayed home from school for 15 days because people were approaching her on the road to school, threatening that they would attack her brother unless her family dropped the case. (Photo by Getty Images)

Gitanjali

UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - AUGUST 1:  9 year old Gitanjali (name changed) poses for a photo on August 1, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. Her 30 year old father sexually abused her for years and raped her last year. He threatened to beat her and her mother with metal rods if she told anyone. When her grandfather found out, he went to the police and had him arrested. Since then, the whole family and whole village has been pressuring him to drop the case. He says 'Everyone in the village is against me. They say that he's my only son and ask who will look after me and my family? They don't understand that what he did is very wrong. They don't think that it's true. Even my wife and Gitanjali's mother want me to drop the case. I don't know how much longer I can go on, but I know who he is, I know he will never change. If I drop the case it will give him the strength to do this again.'  Their neighbors and people in the village tease and taunt Gitanjali and ask 'what will happen to your future?', 'who will marry you now?' and 'what will happen to your mother?'. They tell her to stop lying. Gitanjali's mother says that even though her husband often beat her, she wants him to get out of jail and come home. 'If he gets out he will promise to stop abusing Gitanjali. It's her fault as well. When she would be sick she would stay in bed, she would run around and act childish and my husband would watch her. I told her to stay away from him. She should have shouted when he locked the door. She didn't share anything with me.' She says that her husband would often make her sleep on the floor while he slept in the bed with Gitanjali. Gitanjali says that she feels sad that her father is in jail. She says that when he's around that financially things are better, that he looks after the family and is able to buy them things. She says that everyday her mother calls her a prostitute and blames her for her father being gone. (Photo by Getty Images)
UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - AUGUST 1:  Metal rods that 9 year old Gitanjali's (name changed) father threatened to beat her and her mother with are seen on August 1, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. Her 30 year old father sexually abused her for years and raped her last year. He threatened to beat her and her mother with metal rods if she told anyone. When her grandfather found out, he went to the police and had him arrested. Since then, the whole family and whole village has been pressuring him to drop the case. He says 'Everyone in the village is against me. They say that he's my only son and ask who will look after me and my family? They don't understand that what he did is very wrong. They don't think that it's true. Even my wife and Gitanjali's mother want me to drop the case. I don't know how much longer I can go on, but I know who he is, I know he will never change. If I drop the case it will give him the strength to do this again.'  Their neighbors and people in the village tease and taunt Gitanjali and ask 'what will happen to your future?', 'who will marry you now?' and 'what will happen to your mother?'. They tell her to stop lying. Gitanjali's mother says that even though her husband often beat her, she wants him to get out of jail and come home. 'If he gets out he will promise to stop abusing Gitanjali. It's her fault as well. When she would be sick she would stay in bed, she would run around and act childish and my husband would watch her. I told her to stay away from him. She should have shouted when he locked the door. She didn't share anything with me.' She says that her husband would often make her sleep on the floor while he slept in the bed with Gitanjali. Gitanjali says that she feels sad that her father is in jail. She says that when he's around that financially things are better, that he looks after the family and is able to buy them things. She says that everyday her mother calls her a prostitute and blames her for her father being gone.
UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - AUGUST 1:  Torn up photos of 9 year old Gitanjali's (name changed) parents wedding are seen on August 1, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. Her 30 year old father sexually abused her for years and raped her last year. He threatened to beat her and her mother with metal rods if she told anyone. When her grandfather found out, he went to the police and had him arrested. Since then, the whole family and whole village has been pressuring him to drop the case. He says 'Everyone in the village is against me. They say that he's my only son and ask who will look after me and my family? They don't understand that what he did is very wrong. They don't think that it's true. Even my wife and Gitanjali's mother want me to drop the case. I don't know how much longer I can go on, but I know who he is, I know he will never change. If I drop the case it will give him the strength to do this again.'  Their neighbors and people in the village tease and taunt Gitanjali and ask 'what will happen to your future?', 'who will marry you now?' and 'what will happen to your mother?'. They tell her to stop lying. Gitanjali's mother says that even though her husband often beat her, she wants him to get out of jail and come home. 'If he gets out he will promise to stop abusing Gitanjali. It's her fault as well. When she would be sick she would stay in bed, she would run around and act childish and my husband would watch her. I told her to stay away from him. She should have shouted when he locked the door. She didn't share anything with me.' She says that her husband would often make her sleep on the floor while he slept in the bed with Gitanjali. Gitanjali says that she feels sad that her father is in jail. She says that when he's around that financially things are better, that he looks after the family and is able to buy them things. She says that everyday her mother calls her a prostitute and blames her for her father being gone. (Photo by Getty Images)
UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - AUGUST 1:  9 year old Gitanjali (name changed) sleeps in her bed on August 1, 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, India. Her 30 year old father sexually abused her for years and raped her last year. He threatened to beat her and her mother with metal rods if she told anyone. When her grandfather found out, he went to the police and had him arrested. Since then, the whole family and whole village has been pressuring him to drop the case. He says 'Everyone in the village is against me. They say that he's my only son and ask who will look after me and my family? They don't understand that what he did is very wrong. They don't think that it's true. Even my wife and Gitanjali's mother want me to drop the case. I don't know how much longer I can go on, but I know who he is, I know he will never change. If I drop the case it will give him the strength to do this again.'  Their neighbors and people in the village tease and taunt Gitanjali and ask 'what will happen to your future?', 'who will marry you now?' and 'what will happen to your mother?'. They tell her to stop lying. Gitanjali's mother says that even though her husband often beat her, she wants him to get out of jail and come home. 'If he gets out he will promise to stop abusing Gitanjali. It's her fault as well. When she would be sick she would stay in bed, she would run around and act childish and my husband would watch her. I told her to stay away from him. She should have shouted when he locked the door. She didn't share anything with me.' She says that her husband would often make her sleep on the floor while he slept in the bed with Gitanjali. Gitanjali says that she feels sad that her father is in jail. She says that when he's around that financially things are better, that he looks after the family and is able to buy them things. She says that everyday her mother calls her a prostitute and blames her for her father being gone. (Photo by Getty Images)

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