And They Turn to Cases

Fifteen years have passed by since the horrific Delhi Gangrape of Jyoti Singh, and still, there is no change in the scenario of women’s safety. The culprits were punished, but predators still roam outside to catch their prey. And their prey? Women- of all ages, from any background, it doesn’t matter, she has to be a woman. So, when we come across horrific headlines, like a 4-year-old raped by her own grandfather, it doesn’t make us astounded; all it does is add to another news story, of another woman being ripped off her dignity, so what if she is only 4? At the end of the day, she is a woman. It makes us roll our eyes and feel pity for the victim, but does it make any difference these days? We keep on questioning. For we know very well, this will again turn into another case, piling up on the already heaped-up thousands of cases of violence against women in our country.

All candlelight marches, all protests, all the outrage fade away; all that remains is fear. A woman’s fear of travelling alone, of going for work, getting into a public vehicle, roaming the road and even inside her own home. Because predators can be anywhere, lurking in the dark, waiting for their chance to pounce upon their prey, which again makes news tomorrow and then becomes a case that gradually unfolds.

Who do we blame for this? It is a deeply ingrained image of a woman in many families. It has been practised for generations, and it has been imprinted into the brains that women are the weaker sex; they are the ones who have to be silenced. They are the ones who would only serve men and raise kids. Therefore, they are often described with terms like nurturer and caregiver. Because that is the easiest way to cajole them into doing what they are not ready to do. And when they step up to defy these norms, they become rebels.  

It is disheartening to see that the very same people with this kind of mindset would worship the Goddesses, celebrating their victory over the demons. What an irony! Who knows, just after the celebrations, they celebrate by torturing a woman, any woman, for that matter, who they might find alone just trying to live. So, what if the Goddess they had just celebrated is also a woman!   

A lack of basic education, gender biased approaches in society and a striking difference in the treatment between the two genders can definitely be considered some of the root causes. However, it also reflects the broader societal failure. A clear picture is often put forth by the comments of politicians regarding these sorts of sexual crimes and misconduct. A country where a learned law-protector can make an old, rusted statement, like, “If you can’t prevent rape, enjoy it,” we know there is very little hope of a better future in women’s safety, at least as of now.

Here we have been referring to the reported cases, but there are way more that go unreported. Again, the fear factor comes into play. Often, the predators are either influential or backed by powerful people. It does not take much time to hush someone who dares to go against them. Often, law and order become puppets in their hands, and the culprits roam freely, unimpeded, seeking their next victim. So, in the midst of the Nirbhaya case, the R. G Kar Case or the Kamduni Case, they don’t even find a place to be another case. All we can do is raise awareness and hope for a better system and treatment for women to lead a safe life with dignity. This is the beginning of curbing the deep-rooted discrepancies that ultimately lead to predatory behaviour. 

" This post was submitted to India Writing Project Season 9 Non-Fiction "