Even as the COVID – 19 pandemic rages on, it is astonishing that even in these times – women, young girls are being raped, tortured, molested, or harassed.
We have had several reports of rape in the last few days from various parts of the country.
Many of these reports are from semi-urban villages and against young girls and women belonging to the weaker section of the society.
It is pathetic to note that irrespective of the circumstance, women are vulnerable and targeted by society and in society at every step and in myriad forms.
In a country that worships and celebrates the female form as a goddess, in truth, it is nothing short of duplicity.
The truth of our society is that it likes its women to be submissive, for them to live within the given framework of what it thinks, a woman should be and live.
The endless debate on women’s clothing, an invitation for trouble has been the greatest myth and an irritant.
A woman is partially responsible for inviting distress in the form of harassment, molestation, and rape if her clothing at the time of the incident is regarded as skimpy or questionable by nature.
However, the sudden surge in acts against women have been reported from villages or semi-urban villages and not from cities.
These were young girls and women who wore traditional Indian attires, as dictated by our societal norms.
As per societal norms, one would think that these men residing in villages or semi-urban villages, would be more respectful towards women since the common excuse cited of questionable attire, would not arise.
But this is not the case and hence the ruse of provocative attire cannot be used as an excuse anymore.
It has been observed that it is men who operate from a position of power, some are even upholders of law and prey on women and young girls who largely belong to the weaker section of the society.
Women have proven themselves competent and excelled at their respective work roles in the corporate sector as well as in villages.
They are the very backbone of the workforce in the agricultural sector. And women both from cities and villages also carry out household responsibilities.
We are in an age where technology, globalization, media, and knowledge are what we strive for, yet as a society, we stick to duplicity.
In many cases, a lack of education is cited as justification. If this were the case, we would not hear of women being raped in cities and yet we do.
Cases of sexual harassment have been reported in the corporate sector as well.
They are countless cases of Date rape acts that are carried out by educated men in cities and often in such cases it is the woman who is questioned, her life choices are questioned and put under the scanner.
Usually, the theory extended in such scenarios is that the victim asked for it and her life choices are interpreted as invitations.
What triggers these men to commit such acts?
Are these actions an expression of Power Reassurance?
If yes, then it is a compulsive drive for the man to be in and to express his control.
Men who resort to acts of crime against women, in such cases are trying to assure themselves of their masculinity, they suffer from Low-self-image and the purpose of the act is to elevate their status.
If a woman is independent and asserts herself, it may give rise to Anger Retaliation in many men and could be the cause of rape.
In truth, these men hold deep hatred towards women, and they see themselves as a powerful masculine force wanting to show a woman her place.
Cases have been reported of women who have not only been raped but have even been physically tortured and brutally assaulted.
Power Assertive Rapists perform these acts in full awareness and the objective is to inflict as much pain as possible.
Actions that are cringe-worthy and savage, if the victim survives the assault, the road to recovery is as hellish as the act itself.
In most cases, such a victim hardly survives.
All men are not the same but herein lies the fact, many may entertain such thoughts in secret and may not act upon them.
However, the percentage that does display and fulfills these tendencies, may or may not be reported.
Hence each time an eve-teaser or a molester gets away, it only serves as an encouragement making them bolder, more confident, and ultimately propels them to commit the very act itself.
Do these men consider women as inferior and regard them as a commodity?
The most dangerous are the type that regards women as a commodity or a sexual object.
The thought festers in the mind until it can no longer be controlled, and chances are, they become Compulsive Personalities a sign of a Sadistic Rapist, their only intent is to harm the woman.
They often carry out multiple violations over an extended period and the intent is to completely break the spirit of the woman, it very often takes the form of murder after rape.
Serial molesters and rapists until they are caught – they seek, prey, and finally put the act in motion.
Ironically, most argue that in part the Society was/is formed to safeguard women’s interests but it is this very society that doesn’t allow for a woman to express herself in a manner she may seem fit while a man is free to express himself in a manner of his choosing.
It is in this society wherein the female gender seeks for respect, safety, security, and her right to be.
As a society, it is time we do away with gender separation.
Yes, men and women are different, they are meant to be different but the identification with gender and gender roles and the psychological implications that comes along with it is detrimental.
Irrespective of gender we are human beings first.
And as human beings, the question of performing such dastardly acts on another human being itself should be the deterrent.
It is not a woman’s attire or her life choices that are the basis of such crimes, these reasons are futile, and a feeble attempt to hide the cracks of social degradation and hypocrisy that exists in our society.