Many young people, who have had past experiences of abuse and molestation, are speaking out and also seeking help from mental health professionals to cope with the inner turmoil, their emotions triggered by the rape and murder of the junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, said psychiatrists and principals of several schools.

Some of the episodes of abuse are recent and some go back years, sometimes even 10 years or so, said mental health professionals.

A young girl sought help because the rape and murder reminded her of her own experience of being molested by a tuition teacher years back. She said that as an adolescent she felt betrayed by her family members because she did not receive the kind of support that she should have.

“There have been girls and even boys who have dared to speak up about their past experiences triggered by the incident (at RG Kar). For some, their childhood trauma resurfaced. It has been disturbing for some but has been cathartic as well. It has also allowed some to work through it, which may have been repressed earlier,” said psychotherapist and counsellor Farishta Dastur Mukherji.

Since August 9, when the young doctor was raped and murdered at the end of a 36-hour duty, the city has been witnessing protests in various forms by people from diverse walks of life.

“It (the incident and the following protests) is so out there that one cannot escape it. There are rallies, posters, and street art that do become a constant reminder of their own experience of abuse, which may not be rape. It has been a reminder to some and a feeling of having gone through it,” said Tina Servaia, senior principal, Calcutta International School.

It could also be a comment, someone brushing against them, or any form of misogyny or sexism that one faced, said Servaia.

The fight is not just for justice for the junior doctor who has been raped and murdered but for many women, it is a fight for their rights, their own space, and their independence, said a teacher.

Psychiatrist Sanjay Garg said the problem exists in society because it teaches or expects “girls to take things for granted.”

“Instances of abuse, groping, molestation are brushed under the carpet and girls are not encouraged to speak about it,” said Garg.

“I have seen some young people who have come for help because their past experiences of abuse are affecting them now, and for some of them disrupted their routine to some extent.”

He said girls are still on many occasions blamed for being abused. They are taught to tolerate abuse by not talking about it, he said.

How it impacts an individual also depends on where they are in their “journey of healing,” said a teacher.

Satabdi Bhattacharjee, principal, South CityInternational School, said there are more conversations about “uncomfortablediscussions”.

“Boys and girls are talking more openly about their feelings or emotions. Some of them have shared instances of aggression or violence in the home that they have been witnessed to if not subjected to.”