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Every few months there is a story like this from Kashmir — young girl “caught trying to check into a hotel” ( major Gogoi) “caught in a military bathroom” (handwara), caught leaving Srinagar — these are accounts of militarised sexual coercion / trafficking https://kashmirobserver.net/2020/09/14/grounded-flight-at-srinagar-airport/
Another common factor in most of these narratives is the presence of “khidmat centres” , “ self help groups” etc sadbhavna initiatives/ social media / phones as an interface to contact and predate upon young women https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/indianexpress.com/article/india/major-leetul-gogoi-raided-our-home-at-night-mother-of-woman-at-hotel-5190226/lite/
When Kashmiris refuse to participate in militarised goodwill initiatives or call out sadbhavna photo ops — it’s not “anger” “ alienation” or “Islam” (for eg criticism against women rock musicians pragaash, or film stars) it’s born of an acute understanding of forms of violence
That’s not to say there is no victim blaming or misogyny — of course there is — as evident in the Kashmir observer piece or local coverage of the “handwara girl” — to see these as a “mystery” is to ignore the open secret of systemic militarised violence http://www.wandemag.com/handwara-girls-search-bathroom/
