Delhi gang-rape: Has the change set in?

Rape. A word that brings with it feelings of horror, terror and shame, but not for the perpetrator but for the hapless victim. Rape is a gruesome way in which males desperately portray their masculinity by victimizing the woman and taking over her body.

On 16 December 2012, an appalling incident of gang-rape shook the entire nation as Delhi came under immediate scrutiny regarding women’s security. It brought under attack the country’s judicial system, the control of police and most importantly, the entrenched system of patriarchy. Masses of people took to the streets to express their dissent and to display their opposition of such grisly crimes against women. It somehow gave a sense of the whole country uniting against this social evil and giving a clarion call for rapid reform. It highlighted the fact that as a society, we are sinking deeper into the realm of sadism. This was evident by the fact that the surviving yet tormented victims were often stranded by the police as well.

In response to mass protests, the government of India appointed a judicial committee headed by J.S Verma, former Chief Justice of India, on 22 December 2012. It was asked to submit a report within 30 days suggesting amendments in the criminal law in order to tackle cases of sexual assault in a headstrong manner.

On 23^rd January, the committee submitted its report and on 1^st February 2013 the Cabinet Ministers approved the ordinance to give effect to the changes suggested by the Verma Committee Report. One of the most significant suggestions was to order maximum punishment to rape which meant life imprisonment and not death penalty and also give clarity about the control of Delhi Police, etc.

However, after almost 2 years since the incident, the most poignant question that surfaces is that has the situation changed? Is it now safer for women to walk the streets freely? Is it ‘okay’ to dress the way they like? Has the influence of patriarchy abated? Are we a less tolerant society?

The sad reality is that the passive attitude of the government, the insensitivity of the police department towards the gravity of the problem, the crippled minds of the perpetrators, are all just the way they were before November 2012.

There is little change that can be observed as men continue to view women as mere ‘objects’ for pleasure. In order to vindicate this statement let’s take to the route of statistics. They all the more astonish me as they say that in every twenty-two minutes, one rape occurs. From 1^st January,2013 to 15^th April,2013 there have been 973 molestation cases reported and one may never know of those which were not filed. More alarmingly, in Delhi, 590% more molestation cases and 148% more rape cases were reported in 2013 than last year.

“Girls are now more aware and they do not take eve teasing as a normal phenomenon but boys haven’t really changed,” Manmeet Kaur, a first-year Delhi University student states.

“I think the situation is actually even worse than what it was before. All this sudden hype has generated the almost opposite effect. Rather than condemning rape, it has now become acceptable,” says a class 12^th commerce school teacher, Ashima Bhasin.

Rape isn’t merely a crime demanding punishment, but is indeed the fault of the society deserving to be corrected. It signifies the fact that the world we live in contentedly allows brutality to be inflicted upon the so-called weaker sex. All of these factors further go on to state that rules and laws have limited potential to curb violence against women.

I think, more important than changing the men’s attitude and perspective towards women, women themselves need to be strong enough and possess a certain level of self-confidence. The first step to prevent falling prey to men’s domination is to stop viewing themselves as victims in the first place. Be courageous enough to be able to stand up for one’s own self rather than being dependent on the male figure for your so-called protection. Women need to start taking charge of their own lives and make every attempt to resist the male authority over their body as well as their lives.

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• About the Author

About Manleen Bawa

It is a very daunting task for me to describe myself. I feel that there isn’t any one particular kind of thing that can truly define me. So, I am the kind of person who will very blatantly speak her mind, shoving away all signs of coming across as rude. I am also the kind who might tell you that you look quite pretty today just because I know how good that will make you feel about yourself. I am the kind of person who will often lose herself in the beauty of a book while completely oblivious to the world around me. I am also the kind of person who will try to devote as much time to others (people I love and care about) as I possibly can. What makes us human are our complexities. So, rather than being a strict prototype of a certain way of life, be complex. Be human.