Rapists: “The Terrorists” Within
By Shura Darapuri
18 December, 2012
Countercurrents.org
Few weeks back headlines of one of the leading newspaper caught my eye, “Kasab the butcher”
It set me thinking, if deeds of an ‘outsider’ may be considered ‘butcher like’ then how about the deeds of the ‘insiders’, the recent south Delhi gangrape accused. Four to five men beating a lone girl brutally, raping her and then throwing her off on the road without clothes in the cold? A well qualified medical student who could have helped the society with her expertise now left in ‘unbearable pain’ to struggle for life!
In India, where there are innumerable temple of goddesses more than even the police stations and hospitals yet it fails to teach a ‘perverted’ and ‘sick’ section of society to respect women!
It is shameful that every minute modesty of women is outraged in a country where men are supposed to act as custodian of women’s honour and integrity. In the childhood the father, at a younger age, the brother and after marriage husband are meant to be their protectors.
Innumerable knots have been tied on the wrists of the brothers to protect their sisters. Seven rounds are taken, promising wives protection.
But the reality of the incident has proved otherwise, a young girl, even with a male escort is not safe on the streets of India!
It is to be realised getting a girl married off early will also be of no help, as suggested by certain elders of society few weeks back! It raises another issue whether the accused involved in the recent crime were married or unmarried? If they were married what provoked them to indulge in a relationship with a girl whose whereabouts were also not known to them. Yet ironically, during the time of marriage each and every detail of the girl is noted caste, color, religion,region,language ,kundli etc!
Honour killers need to rethink after this incident that they need to protect their daughters from someone who loves her and makes her his life partner or someone who catches hold off her unawares in the middle of the night ‘uses and throws’ in the pitch of the dark to perish?
Discussion on television after such incidents appear so lifeless and the ultimate suggestions that come up half heartedly was to install CCTV camera. One can’t discern how the CCTV cameras are going to be helpful in a country where the basic infrastructure is on the verge of collapse. One may be informed whether the intention is to prevent a crime or covering it to be telecasted again and again on the television for the shocked helpless viewers.
Nobody suggests measures to prevent such an incident to happen again. It is not the case of child lifting or theft, it is the case of robbing of the integrity of woman and attempted murder.
The crime needs to be handled with a stern hand, irrespective of the “neeli batti” or the “lal batti”.
But along with that the girls right from the childhood days should be given some kind of training in martial art and the boys ought to have some extra classes on respecting the opposite sex, they may also be taught that failing to do so, they may face dire consequences!
Most important is that at the family level girls and boys should to be taught to mutually respect each other. Media can play an important role in educating people on gender discrimination and gender equality instead of projecting women as ‘commodities’ and playful ‘baby dolls’!
Now that more and more young girls are moving out for education, women are joining ‘the mainstream jobs’, which was once regarded as purely men’s domain, it is time now to place her security at the priority list.
Working hours need to be made flexible. With increasing incidents of crime she may be allowed to leave early by the employer or if she has to work late, transport facility should be provided in order to drop her home safely. In moving vehicles like the recent invention of ‘No Death car’ there’s an urgent need to invent ‘No Rape transport’, some safety and alerting devices should be installed in trains, buses, car which may ensure ready help. Special force should be trained exclusively to deal with such incidents on board and offboard to ensure security of women on moving trains.
There is an urgent need for strict implementation of stringent laws. First of all it should become a non bailable offence. The accused should be dismissed from his job. The case need to be handled carefully and impartially ensuring there is no misuse of the law. The family of the accused should be made to pay for all the expenses, the victims family has to bear till the time the victim has recovered thoroughly and is fit enough to make her own living. If the victim happens to die then the property of the accused should be ceased and given to the victims family as compensation.
Rape victims also should be given some kind of relaxation and concessions in getting employment to make up for the loss of time and health. More and more trauma centres and rehabilitation centres with sincere efficient staff should be constructed to help the victims recover fast. Society should shun the rapist ‘outcast’ him and give due respect and love to the victim.
Media should project on the accused and his conviction and not on the traumatised victim.
At every level there is need to raise gender sensitivity so that we may all stand together to prevent daughters of our nation to become victims of such a ‘heinous crime’ shamefully committed by our own countrymen! There is an urgent need to free society of such ‘terrorists’ within!
Dr.Shura Darapuri Coordinator, Centre for the study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar University, Lucknow (U.P.), India
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