Violence against Women

Scheme of the essay

Exposition: Women have been subject to violence for centuries.

Rising Action: According to the Government’s statistics in India 120 rapes are committed every day.

Climax:

(1) Negative social attitude towards the victims creates psychological problems.

(2) Rape is a sexual as well as cultural attack,

(3) There are certain stress reactions to rape,

(4) The government has shown an insensitive attitude,

(5) Indian women suffer from inferiority complex,

(6) This problem can be tackled in two ways,

(7) Under the ancient law code rape was not a crime.

Ending: Deterrent punishment cannot do anything.

Women have been victims of violence the centuries all over the world. But it is only in recent years that they have risen in revolt against this assault on their dignity and personality as human beings. In India this assertion by women has for some strange reason been touched off by the Supreme Court’s first judgement in the Mathura rape case. Perhaps this was the proverbial match-stick which set ablaze the prairie fire. Bill to make the law more stringent for dealing with rape is passed. According to Bill, rape of a woman will carry punishment varying from seven years in jail to life imprisonment. For police and other officials, the proposed punishment is 10 years plus a fine. The Bill seeks to amend sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act.

According to the Government’s statistics 120 rapes are committed in the country every day. But according to the unofficial reports, a very large number of the rape cases go unreported. Along with that, cases of dowry deaths, eve teasing and molestation of women have risen abnormally during the last one year. It has become a great problem. The negative social attitude towards the victims of such cases creates serious psychological problems. Rather people look down upon a victim of rape, whereas a woman who has gone through such a traumatic experience needs social and emotional support. This is double victimisation, one by the rapist and the other by her own social circle. So, rape is not only an attack upon a woman sexually or physically but also on the last vestige of honour from her family. According to Susan Brownmiller, in her book Against Our Will, “Rape is nothing more or less than a conscious process of intimidation by which all men keep all women in a state of fear.” To some men rape provides a sufficient threat to keep all women in a constant state of intimidation.

Some doctors have analysed the rape cases and pointed out that there is certain stress reaction pattern which occur because of it. Three phases are seen in clinical practice. First is the impact phase where there is evidence of tremendous anxiety, depression and a feeling of disorganisation and disbelief. The next is the recoil phase. In this phase woman appears to be well integrated superficially but there is evidence at the deeper level. The third phase is the reconstitution phase. This is the period of interaction and resolution. Here we come across a marked recurrence of depression and there is need to talk and to resolve the conflicting feelings. The basic reaction to rape is the tremendous anger a victim feels against her own powerlessness. She feels abused, humiliated and disturbed. Rape is a degrading and depersonalising experience.

The Government, as far as the woman’s problems are concerned has shown an insensitive attitude. The Bagpat rape case would never have been politicised, had timely action been taken by the Ministry concerned. Moreover, in this male dominated society women cannot turn to even law courts for redress. Despite the existing legislation to protect women’s rights women hesitate to take any step because of their own weak social and economic status. The existing laws have many loopholes. The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 bans dowry in letter only. Similarly in divorce cases the custody of the children automatically goes to the father if the children are above five years of age. In the law of inheritance, a father can exclude daughters from his will in spite of their being lawful heirs.

Indian women belonging to every class suffer from an inferiority complex. The male dominated society makes them to feel that they are incompetent, inadequate and worthless. It is from the time of their birth that brainwashing begins. Her training from the childhood is groomed for a way of life that is accepted by others. This passive acceptance of her lot makes her an easy prey.

So, violence against women can be tackled at two levels- social and legal. In the case of the former the woman will have to have confidence in herself. From the legal side she will have to be treated as living, thinking sensitive human being having her own identity; she should not be treated as the property of husband or parents.

Under the ancient law codes rape was not a crime against woman but a violation of the property rights of her father, brother or husband. Woman was considered to be the property of the parents or husband. The punishment was that the damaged property be bought by paying compensation and marrying her. Punishment for rape should be quite stringent.

But simply by imposing deterrent punishment we cannot do away with the evil of rape. We cannot and should not look at rape in purely sexual terms; it is a cultural offence. Man should not be allowed to consider woman as his property; she is a companion who must enjoy all the rights of being equal. Society must atone for her suffering instead of condemning her.