Rape in India: Hard Facts:

Dear all

There is a lot of public outrage in the social media on the horrific Delhi gang rape, with emotive calls for castration and death as punishment for the rapist.

As per National crime record bureau,  24500 cases of rape was recorded in India last year,  which means every 22 minutes a lady is dishonored. Above 1000 rape cases are reported in Delhi alone, in this year.  It is said that only 25 % of the rapes are reported in the police station, and out of the reported cases less than 50 % of the rapist are punished.

The inefficiency and insensitiveness of our political -legal establishment has not only made the plight of the victim worse, but also has resulted in an environment where the rapist can escape without punishment. For example no injury marks over a victims body is argued as consensual sex..

Rapes in western nations are mainly attributed to  psychological and other personality disorders of the rapist. In contrast, in India the reason is Sociological in nature.

The prevalent patriarchal system has created an atmosphere of male dominance, and forceful subservience of females in the family. A general look into the soap operas being telecasted on our national media proves this point. The patriarchal family system has been encouraging   discrimination among boys and  girls  in the field of education, food, clothing etc which has resulted in, built-up   of a false ego and superiority complex among majority of males in India. I have often heard men while taking up a fight mentioning ‘’ Maine chudia nehi pahni hai’’  meaning I have not worn bangles, or making self-proclamation that he is a ‘’man with balls’’.  This false sense of ego has been unconsciously planted in the male psyche by their family since many generations.

On the other side the success of females in areas hitherto considered as male bastions as like in jobs and  education ,has resulted in a power shift within the family. Further  the entire control over female sexuality that men ‘’enjoyed’’ in India, due to community and caste laws is now being challenged by the females. Today they don’t hesitate to call off an unhappy marriage, choose their sexual partners, or experiment with their own sexual needs. Eventually this has made the general urban male insecure and the effeminate among them has started feeling that they have lost their balls or being worn a bangle.

In Urban India the general increase of rape cases with a Year on Year growth of 10% has to be viewed in this context. We cant blame  the Guardian Newspaper comment that , among the G-20 nations, India stands the worst in female security.

We need to ensure that value based education is imparted by the parents itself to their children and  the State should take political legal and administrative measures which shall then act as a deterrent. Fast track courts, Female officers handling rape cases, legal support, compulsory filing of FIRs, 24X7 Helplines are few solutions.

Above all men in India need to realize that he needs to have his balls not between his legs, but inside his brain and learn that the power of the muscle is gone and it is time to win over women not by chauvinism but by his intellect and positive action.

It took 40 minutes time  for me to complete this write up, and by this time two more women were raped somewhere in this country………………………