I was appalled at the statement issued by the chairperson of a committee supposedly responsible for fighting for the rights of women in India. This very attitude of blaming the victim instead of the perpetrator has made it increasingly difficult to find a solution for this rampant crime. Newspapers, TV reports and magazines are filled with news about Eve teasing, molestation, rape, harassment and other atrocities committed against women. Despite that, an accusing finger is pointed at the person who has been violated instead of the criminal.
Let me, for a minute agree with the Mamta Sharma's viewpoint that provocative dressing is an open invitation to men which arouses and instigates them to treat women like objects. How would you justify the sexual abuse of innocent children-some as young as a few months old? If wearing a burqa is a solution to protect women, what about children? The sad truth is that women-young, old, pretty, ugly, educated, illiterate, rich, poor, employed, housewife, handicapped, mentally ill, pregnant, diseased-all are susceptible to sexual assault and are subjected to it as though they deserve it.
The recent incident of a French diplomat repeatedly sexually abusing his 2 year old daughter sends a chill down the spine. We live in a world where a woman is not safe even in her own house and this is shameful. Walking on the street, in public transport, malls, offices and even in their own homes, women constantly have to be on their guard lest some animal might take advantage of them. In case they do fall prey to such unfortunate incidents, society does not have any qualms in raising questions about the character of the victim, their dressing etc. Where is the focus on identifying the criminal and meting out a deserving punishment to them? Is there anything done at all to help the victim who has been scarred for life? Why do we make the victim feel that somehow it was all their fault?
A 13 year old girl gets raped and delivers a child as a result of this and her school coolly hands her a Transfer Certificate. It is this mentality that prevents the victim from ever recovering from the incident as they are stigmatized instead of being offered any help.Teaching men to respect women instead of treating them like public property would definitely address the issue. But I know how deeply rooted this idea of women being inferior, weaklings and sex objects is in the psyche of men. I fear that it is next to impossible to even fathom a day when such notions will be changed. However, I do hope and pray that there will come a day when society stops treating this as the victims fault and gives them a fair chance to come out of the trauma. These crimes represents all that is base in the human nature and shows the level to which one human can inflict pain and suffering on the other.
Every morning, I walk out of my house with a prayer on my lips that I reach home safely in the evening without having to encounter any of the animals who walk among us disguised as men. I shudder when some man crosses me on the street. The numerous incidents that I have experienced and read/heard about have trained me to think that almost anytime, anyone could turn out to be a person who will take advantage of the fact that I'm a woman. I know this is a very negative approach but for a woman there is no such thing as being too careful.
