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The 30-year-old and the alleged rape victim have declined admission to a hospital in a heart-wrenching and horrific update of the Delhi bus gang rape case despite having been injured during the incident. Doctors recommended that she spend the night, but she insisted that she would go home, supposedly with the words, “Who will cook at home?” for her kids.

The survivor is a mother of three daughters (8, 6, and 4) from a factory cluster in slums in Pitampura. Her husband is suffering from tuberculosis and is stuck in his home—she is the one who has to be the family's ever-ready caretaker and earn their living. Her day shift ended at Rani Bagh, and she was back on the road on her way back home after a night shift.

She was reportedly raped by the driver and conductor and thus underwent medical examination and decided to leave the hospital to care for her daughters. Arrests of both accused are underway, and police continue their investigation. The whole incident has garnered widespread dismay and further discussion of women's safety in the national capital.

This poignant fact reminds us of the high stakes of vulnerability and hardships of many working women in Delhi who face severe traumas in a day while balancing their families as well. Providing her with the help of authorities, NGOs, and communities might be essential for her recovery and her family's health.