When One Woman Kills, Why Are All Women Judged?

This Blog is Written by Khyati Chandan, 4th Year, BA LLB, JIMS EMTC, GGSIPU, Greater Noida.

Blog 11 | Edition VII

Introduction

“If a man commits a murder, we ask what kind of a man he is. If a woman commits a murder, we start asking, what has happened to all women. Why?” A few weeks ago, social media was flooded with memes after the Siya Goyal case. After the Raja Raghuvanshi case, honeymoon trips became a joke. Husbands joked that they were now scared to travel with their wives, while boyfriends sarcastically said they would think twice before planning holidays with their girlfriends or fiancées. Social media had found a new punchline. Such jokes may seem harmless, but why does the crime of a few women become a reflection on all women? As a law student, I believe every person who commits a crime must be punished irrespective of gender. If a woman murders her husband, she should face the same consequences as a man who commits the same offence. Article 14, requires equality before law and equal accountability. No person should be excused merely because of gender, and no innocent person should be condemned merely because someone of the same gender committed a crime.

The Result of Collective Blame

The KD Kempamma case and the Muskan case of March 2025 are among several cases that attracted nationwide attention. But what follows is equally concerning. A woman commits a heinous crime, and suddenly the entire female gender is blamed. Feminism is questioned, women’s empowerment is mocked, and women as a group are portrayed as dangerous or untrustworthy. Yet when men commit crimes against women, society rarely treats all men as potential criminals. Responsibility for a crime is individual. The same principle should apply regardless of the accused person's gender.

What We Forget While Sharing Sexist Memes?

While people joked about “killer brides”, another disturbing incident emerged from Madhya Pradesh, where a 26-year-old pregnant woman allegedly died after being forced to consume acid during a dowry dispute. Her husband and in-laws were arrested after allegations of abuse. The point is not to compare suffering, but to demand consistency. If we refuse to judge all men by the actions of a few men, we must also refuse to judge all women by the actions of a few women. This is where women’s empowerment becomes closely connected with human rights and social justice. Empowerment does not mean giving women immunity from accountability; it means ensuring that women enjoy the same dignity, liberty, opportunities and legal protection as every other individual. Human rights recognise the basic worth of every person, while social justice demands that society challenge discrimination, stereotypes and unequal treatment. When an innocent woman is mocked, distrusted or restricted because of crimes committed by other women, her dignity and equality are undermined. Protecting women from such collective prejudice is therefore not only a matter of feminism, but also a matter of human rights and justice.

A Check on the Statistics

According to the NCRB’s Crime in India 2023 report, roughly 4.48 lakh crimes against women were reported in India, with cruelty by husbands or relatives accounting for more than 1.33 lakh cases. These figures cannot justify judging all men, but they remind us that crimes against women remain a serious problem. One standard must apply to everyone. Innocent women should not carry the burden of crimes they did not commit.

The Existence of Patriarchy

When women commit crimes, some people claim that feminism is no longer necessary because women have become “too empowered”. This confuses empowerment with equality. Patriarchy does not mean that all men are bad. It refers to social structures that have historically given men greater power and control over women’s choices and lives. Women have therefore fought for rights such as education, employment, personal liberty and the freedom to choose their partners. Women’s empowerment removes these barriers, not accountability. True empowerment means exercising rights while being responsible for one’s actions.

The Theory of Law

Criminal jurisprudence is based on individual responsibility. A person is punished for their own actions, not their gender, caste or community. Courts do not punish every husband because some husbands have abused or murdered their wives. Similarly, courts do not convict every wife because some wives have committed serious crimes. The legal system relies on evidence and circumstances rather than stereotypes. The Constitution emphasises dignity, equality and liberty. Therefore, law must judge conduct, not identity.

Why Sexist Jokes Matter?

Memes may be entertainment, but they can also reflect and strengthen social attitudes. When a woman commits a crime and it becomes a reason to portray women generally as dangerous or untrustworthy, innocent women carry a stigma they did not earn. A woman pursuing a degree, working, raising a family or simply living her everyday life should not be associated with a crime she did not commit. Changing this mindset is necessary for equality.

Apart from the Gender War

From the Ketan Agarwal or Raja Raghuvanshi case, it cannot be concluded that women are dangerous. Violence has no gender. A victim deserves justice and an accused deserves a fair trial, irrespective of gender. Turning every case into a battle between men and women weakens justice.

Conclusion

Raja Raghuvanshi and Ketan Agarwal deserve justice just as the pregnant woman who allegedly died because of dowry abuse deserves justice. Justice becomes weaker when facts are replaced by stereotypes. A woman accused of a crime is not a symbol of women’s empowerment. A man accused of violence is not a symbol of masculinity. They are individuals who must be judged according to evidence and law. Women’s empowerment is meaningful only when it is rooted in dignity, equality, freedom and justice for all. This is what we must remember before sharing another meme or turning an entire gender into a punchline. Because crime has no gender, and justice should not have one either.

  

(Write to the author at chandankhyati24@gmail.com.)