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Thursday, March 15, 2012

Have We Become Social Voyeurs?

“ Leprous Voyeurs”  

RAPE-  Is Death of a Soul!

Women and children are vulnerable segments of the population in almost all parts of the world. The spate of recent events, in India, the rise of crime against women and even worse, the indifference of both common man and the law and order machinery, has left me in shock.

Incidences of violence committed are glaringly open, very rapidly and faithfully reported in the media and almost challenge the existing law and order machinery. The horrible violations committed against women and children both infringe the enjoyment of basic human rights and fundamental freedom. The most pervasive form of gender-based violence against women is reported to be abuse by husbands or intimate partners. Sexual assault/rape is also common, but only a small fraction of rapes are actually reported to the police. This unfortunately is the only crime, where the victim ends up often being the accused and the perpetrator escapes. Physical abuse is a common violation committed against women in India. Incidences of sexual abuse and emotional abuse likewise are increasing.

The new endemic is sexual abuse, specifically attempted/committed rape, based on the spate of recent reports in and around NCR. Deterioration of living conditions in urban areas has produced its share of disorders like drug dependency juvenile delinquency, , prostitution, mental illness, physical disability, suicides, family and personal disorganization, environmental degradation, pollution, garbage and sewerage disposals, traffic jams and congestion, conditions that can create fertile breeding grounds for crime.

Visual media that glorify criminals and show a lot of violence, sex and tabloids that depict lewd scenes may indirectly contribute to the rise in crime. Lack of sound crime prevention planning and the apathy of the community towards involvement in anti-crime campaigns leave the victims helpless and suffering. Motive, Instrumentality and Opportunity must be identified, analyzed and remedial measure provided. Instead we have become “Leprous Voyeurs” (Thank you to Dwijith for helping me with an illustration)

There really is no better way to minimize crime than to prevent it at the first instance or, better yet, eliminate the conditions where it can flourish. It’s a Herculean task but as long as there are people willing to help, there is hope!

What I endeavor to do - to make a difference to the life of even just one person! What do you wish to do?

5 comments:

  1. Thank you for this post. I am completely horrified at the way things are turning around now. Recently a rape case in Kolkata made the CM comment that the woman was faking the whole rape incident and this was done against her party. The biggest shock is our CM is a woman and how could she being one say things like that about another woman!! Practically,its not safe to wear clothes which expose too much of skin. You never know what animal is out in the road. But saying that,I do not mean that a woman wearing the so-called "Skimpy" clothes deserves to be raped. No woman deserves to be raped or wants to be and it is NEVER her fault that she is raped.
    I just hope people start changing the way they look at these cases and I completely agree on what you said about rape killing the soul of a person. Its not just a physical assault to the person's body but it leave a permanent scar in the person's mind and soul which can never be healed. Its an assault to a person's existence.

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  2. Thank you Swarnali!

    Guess we are the only two people thus far who feel real strongly about the RAPE issue!

    Fully agree to all your thoughts and we sure need to DO something about the indifference!

    Lots of good wishes.
    Ushy Mohan Das

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  3. Indeed it is unfortunate that most people while hearing of a rape seem to lay the blame on something from the dress to the character, timing of the day to the nature of job of the victim...although protecting oneself and exercising caution is priority for each woman...we ultimately are responsible for ourselves...what is appalling is that despite being the rapist his character is seldom blemished whilst the victim's is being assassinated. capital punishment!...well i think what would actually attach the missing 'social stigma' element to the perpetrator's existence is the cutting off of the penis itself.

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  4. Yeah Ja being

    Sad but true and evidence suggests many people are just lip sympathisers!
    Victim loses in all ways!

    thank you for sharing

    Regards
    Ushy

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  5. Reminds me of what Jessica Velenti once said: “Now, should we treat women as independent agents, responsible for themselves? Of course. But being responsible has nothing to do with being raped. Women don’t get raped because they were drinking or took drugs. Women do not get raped because they weren’t careful enough. Women get raped because someone raped them.”

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