Are we living in a civilized society

I was shocked by the recent brutalized gang-rape of a girl in a bus in Delhi[rape capital of India] and it was a blot on human civilization. This time there is a proactive response than expected from all the sections and vociferously condemned the gang-rape incident. I am wondering why gang-rape incidents are recurring phenomena, in the so called modern Indian social milieu?

Is that people are not afraid of police? or low rate of conviction rate? or lack of due respect for the rule of law? According to recent reports, in cases of crime against woman, conviction rate was less than 25 percent! We used to say that, justice delayed is justice denied then are we practicing the same in the Indian democratic soil? Inordinate delays in the trial, inefficient investigation system and apathy of police personnel towards victims, etc factors are responsible for exhibiting animal male behavior.

Are our Hindi films and songs[e.g. Munni Badnam Hui Darling Tere Liye] are adding their part to portray woman as a lust, an object of violence and commodification of body of woman? etc I think, the above would act as a catalyst for erosion of social values and respect towards women. But this shouldn't be mono-causal determinism for predatory male behavior in the modern civilized society!

We often tend to ignore that, equal status and equal dignity of woman is not merely a Constitutional right but also a basic human right. Peculiar Indian scenario is that, we worship woman as a mother and discriminate as a wife. This sort of dual standards, medieval thoughts and hypocritical attitudes might ingrain patriarchal feudal values.

So called khap panchayat leaders simplistically suggested that, to prevent menace of rape, girl should marry at early ages! If that is true, then why recently, 70 year age old woman was raped in Haryana? What is the answer for custodial rapes and rapes committed by army men[north-eastern states]? Here age is not a factor, the reason is that woman is raped because simply she is woman irrespective of age, caste, race and dress.

We have come across some derogatory statements made by one of the senior IPS officer like woman attire is stimulating factor to commit sexual abuse? Is that true? If it is, then why eight men horribly gang-raped a dalit innocent, ignorant and rural woman in Haryana this year October? Whose community do not even have a voice to reveal the same incident because of fear from entrenched upper caste domination, social ostracism and social boycott from that village. So many such type of incidents are unnoticed in our daily lives.

I have come across few reports which stated that, in some societies rape is a crucial instrument of a entrenched patriarchal culture. Rape stops woman from asserting their rights to the outside world, makes them rely completely on male protectors. Thus rape is not only shatters the confidence of the victim but also makes her mentally fragile.  How to curb such type pathological incidents, which are aberrations to the modern democratic, liberal and secular society?

Some member of parliamentarians(MP's) unequivocally argued for death penalty for rapists. But is that solution to avoid committing rapes? Sometimes, It might turn negative side as well like rapist would try to kill victim and destroy the evidence. So why not to use chemical castration.[used in USA]

Why political parties at the first instance are allowing rape accused candidates contesting in elections? If lawmakers become law breakers then how to contain vicious cycle of crime nexus? Need to introspect such type of incidents across the Indian political spectrum.

We need strong, collective, vibrant and democratic women social organizations on a pan Indian basis to mobilize and educate woman, bring awareness and to check bastion of entrenched patriarchal social power in the society. I think best bet is to proactively engage with world renown feminist Eve Ensler led 'One Billion Rising'  campaign for collective social power to achieve common goals of women across the world.

A renown sociologist Talcott Parsons states that, primary socialization is one of the inevitable social intercourse to shape children attitudes and develop gender sensitive mental psyche, which comes from family and mainly from mother. Here Mother role to inculcate gender sensitiveness and respect for women,etc are playing a prominent role.

Need of the hour is woman centric policing, robust criminal justice system, establish fast track courts and use of Information Communication Technologies[GPS], etc for speedy justice delivery system to fill the sens of confidence among the world's largest vulnerable minority[i.e. women community].

Irrespective of the above, everybody will forget what is going to happen to rape victim, but she will remember for the rest of her life. It will be scar to imagine. But by providing proper social assistance, security and rehabilitation measures, etc there could be a possibility to bring back her to the main stream social context.


                                                                                                        Suneel Anchipaka
                                                                                                        anchipaka.suneel@gmail.com