NEW DELHI -- India's medical workers began a countrywide strike Saturday to protest the rape and killing of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in the eastern West Bengal state.

The strike on Saturday was organized by India’s largest medical group, the Indian Medical Association, announcing that all non-essential services at hospitals would be suspended nationwide for 24 hours.

The work stoppage has impacted thousands of patients throughout India. The protests — largely led by women — have grown stronger in recent days , demanding a safer workplace.

Here's what to know.

On Aug. 9, police discovered the bloodied body of the 31-year-old medical trainee at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital’s seminar hall in eastern Kolkata city.

A police volunteer assigned to the hospital has been apprehended in connection with the crime, but the victim's family maintains that it was a gang rape involving multiple individuals. An autopsy confirmed sexual assault.

Federal investigators are examining the case after allegations of mishandling the investigation arose against state officials.

On Wednesday evening, thousands of women nationwide took to the streets, advocating for justice for the victim during “Reclaim The Night” marches. Some protesters called for the death penalty for the perpetrators of the crime.

Thousands of healthcare workers throughout India are demanding justice for the victim and assurances of safety for doctors and paramedics within hospitals and medical campuses. Many have suspended all but emergency services, with additional strikes planned for the weekend.

Doctors assert that the assault underscores the precarious situation faced by healthcare workers who lack adequate security measures in hospitals and medical facilities across India.

The Indian Medical Association sought public support in its “struggle for justice” and characterized the killing as a “crime of barbaric proportions due to the lack of safe spaces for women.”

The doctors are also demanding stricter laws to shield them from violence, including making any assault on healthcare professionals on duty a non-bailable offense.

Sexual violence against women is a widespread problem in India.

Many instances of violence against women go unreported in India due to the shame associated with sexual violence and a lack of trust in law enforcement. Women’s rights advocates highlight that this problem is particularly acute in rural areas, where communities often stigmatize victims of sexual assault and families fear social repercussions.

Despite these efforts, the number of reported rape cases in India has continued to climb. In 2022, police recorded 31,516 reports of rape — a 20% increase from 2021, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.

In 2012, a horrific incident involving the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a New Delhi bus sparked widespread protests across India. This tragedy spurred lawmakers to implement more severe punishments for such crimes, along with the establishment of specialized courts to handle rape cases expeditiously. The government also introduced capital punishment for repeat offenders.

India's 2013 revision of its rape law also outlawed stalking and the recording of images without consent, and reduced the age of adult criminal responsibility from 18 to 16.