Another day, another incident, unfortunately!!!
No, not just one but several. When I opened the website, rediff.com today morning, the first thing I saw was this. I was beginning to wonder whether we are becoming the ‘rape capital’ of the world, nay the universe! No, seriously! That Botswana has the highest rate of rape in the world gave me some relief. But my heart goes out to the poor women of Botswana who are bearing the shameful crime of rape!
Reasons for the continued incidents of rape
- In cinemas, sitcoms, Over-the-top (OTT) media services, advertisements, etc., creators show women as objects of desire and sex. This makes them easy targets for rape and other crimes. We cannot trust any man regarding women unless proven otherwise. Every man has the basest of the desires and the noblest thoughts. Human emotions are like a sine wave with crests (highs) and troughs (lows). The unfortunate thing is not every man can control his desires. And this kind of men act upon their lewd desires and thoughts and commit rape.
- According to Islam, alcohol is the ‘mother’ of all evils. Rightly so because cases of rape occur when men are under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating agents. But the majority of the cases occur even without any such influences too! And the reason for this is the lack of respect towards women. Boys do not learn to respect women in their homes and outside.
- Our nation’s late father, Mahatma Gandhiji used to dream of the day when women were safe and free in India. His statement, “India will be free when the women feel safe to walk in the streets of India at midnight” is no longer relevant today. It should be “India will be free when the women feel safe to walk in the streets of India in broad daylight!” Because honestly, no time is immune to the heinous crimes committed by shameless rapists!
- Men dominate society as a whole, extending to every aspect and realm. Resulting in an artificial ego prompting certain men to think they can do whatever they like with women. These ‘wolves’ assume they can do anything they want with women. And even get away with it! The ‘Me Too’ movement is a glaring result of this.
But what about Husbands’ rights?
- There is a scene from the famous Hindi movie, ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ where Divya Dutta and her husband have sex albeit behind curtains. The audience can only hear the sounds. Before the sex, Divya Dutta’s husband warns her to come to him in one call.
- Remember the controversial Poonam Pandey’s (Indian model, actress, influencer, chef) statement “I don’t think men go out and commit crime against women because of what they see in films and in pictures. On the contrary, I feel there would be far less crime against women if there would be more sexual gratification at home for men belonging to a certain class, who don’t have direct and easy access to female company”.
- Married people should be sensitive to each other’s sexual needs. Do not misconstrue this as accepting marital rape or any form of misogyny.
- Poonam Pandey was also damn right about another thing in the same article – “Oh please! Five-year-old girls get raped. Do they wear short skirts that provoke such crimes? It is ridiculous to suggest that rape can be prevented if women remain fully clothed,” she said.
- I am talking about some people’s view that a woman’s dress is the provocation for some rapists! A true man always behaves like a gentleman no matter what PERIOD
Few Solutions to Prevent Rape
- We should curtail ‘rape culture’. And ban it forever PERIOD
- Parents and educators should sensitize and teach boys to respect girls and women from a young age.
- Governments should make laws so stringent that they act as a strong deterrent in the prevention of rape or any other crime. The state of West Bengal in India is passing a law to award capital punishment for rape.
- Sex is a normal bodily need. Sex education should be provided to young people. All should respect marriage. This provides a normal outlet for the fulfillment of sexual needs.
- Marriages are becoming costlier by the day. What with abnormal demands of dowry and whatnot! In India and other South Asian countries, women need to pay a dowry whereas in the Middle East, it is the opposite.
- Since marriages are becoming costly, adultery and pornography have become easy. We should curb these evils at all costs.
- Above all, humanity should prevail. We should respect one another and our boundaries regardless of sex, religion, caste, language, creed, economic status, etc.