A crime is a crime is a crime. And rape is
that first. And that doesn’t change, even though it is induced out of a society’s
outlook towards women in general, or whether it is a result of social
repression and a deep rooted problem.
We can always philosophize the reasons
behind a crime. We can argue the roots go deeper than what is visible on the
surface. We can debate for years on this. But the fact remains that it is still
a crime and that’s the first place to start tackling it. For years we faced
issues of Dowry. The entire situation was as deep routed. It was a matter of
social convention and status. And no amount of counseling and social movements
helped control it, until the law against Dowry was as harshly implemented. The
start of control to the menace of Dowry came into being only when the law said
this will not be tolerated. And I am not saying we have put it behind us, but
it has helped curb the issue, it is a start…
No atrocities that originate due to
societal issues have ever been contained without strict law enforcements. Take
the entire civil war in the US. Take the entire issue of apartheid in Africa.
For years people tried to change the mind set of locals, but nothing happened
until sanctions were imposed and they were forced to concede. Mindset will
change. If not by counseling then by fear. For what is wrong is clearly wrong.
Try it with understanding… try it with education… no harm. But don’t think
twice before using the stick.
It is staggering that eve-teasing in India
is treated as a low priority crime. We have 3 separate sections in the Indian
Penal Code that deal with this. But I would be amazed if I can find 1 case per
police station in this country which “accepts” eve-teasing reports. Even though
every girl has faced it at least once, in her lifetime. I remember during my
college days walking up to a cop at the Nariman Point junction telling him that
a bunch of goons sitting at the sea face are harassing women by passing lewd comments
on them, only to be brushed off with a “jaane do na madam, kyu zhamele mein
padna hai? Kuch kar to nahi rahe hai na?” I was so non-plussed that I just
walked away, unable to believe what I had heard. I did not want to think what
exactly he was waiting for to happen before he took action. On the hindsight,
now I feel bad I did not report the guy to higher authority.
Today, eve-teasing happens because we have “accepted”
it as a part and parcel of life. Today women are physically abused, because we
have “accepted” that she was responsible for titillating the men!
There is no sign of the law and order
wanting to help those in need. Police are “reluctant” to take down FIRs of
cases of physical abuse and rape. Instead they “counsel” the victim to forget
about it as the victim will face social stigma! Rape cases do not see the light
of the day in court for years. It is treated as dirty and becomes a public
spectacle. No one looks at it as what it is first. A CRIME. Will you be this
insensitive to a family that has just been robbed, or to the family of someone who
has been murdered? Here too a woman is robbed of her basic right to live with
dignity and respect. Then why treat this crime differently?
Society can continue to evolve. Social
change will happen. The condition of women is definitely different than it was
25 years ago. More women are getting educated today, almost 50% of India’s
workforce is women. We have women at positions of authority. The ruling party
of this country is headed by a woman. We had a lady President. The chief
minister of the city of rapes has been a woman… We see women in governmental
and private sector, much more than we did in the past. Yes, the balance is
skewed, but it is better than it was in the 1970s and 1980s. Things will continue
to change… every mindset change needs time. 25 years ago there were lesser
rapes because women weren’t required to step out as much. Today the number of
women working and studying had multiplied many times over… and we see many more
cases of rape being reported, than being hidden. Societal change is the key… no
one is denying that, however, we cannot ignore law and order under this veil.
What we need is a very very strict
implementation of law. The issue has gone beyond candle light vigils! It’s a
national shame that India’s capital is that unsafe! Consider it a national
shame and tackle the problem as a crime should be! Take eve-teasers to task…
treat them as criminals, which they are. Fast track courts on issues that
violate the dignity of women. Send out a strong message that we will NOT
tolerate this. Show them that inhuman acts will be treated with inhuman
punishments. Make the criminal feel
sorry they were born. Create examples… send out a message. It is essential to create
terror in the minds of those who are even inclined to think of committing this
crime. Let a repressed person think a million times of what might happen if he
commits a rape. Then we will see if the menace is still as rampant.
For years I have been listening to rape
being “justified” as a social problem. Even for the past two days, I have seen
jokes about one of the stations in Delhi being renamed as “Mole-station”. The fact that we can even
think of making jokes! Then I have read and heard people intellectualizing the
issue far beyond what is required. Again, no one denies it is a social problem.
But STOP. Wake up and make it a criminal problem as well, and treat it
accordingly. As a society it is high time we stop looking at victims as “criminals”
and start helping them. Stop looking at victims as “outcasts!” Maybe then,
somewhere, we might start moving in direction that we aim to reach. Stop criticizing
women activists for over reacting. They are NOT over reacting. We are under
reacting! It’s high time we start over reacting too!
