Monday, March 28, 2011

Delhi is unsafe for WOMEN - Why and what to do

This blog, is not an article in itself, but a response to a Parent Trap – is Delhi unsafe because of family and society ? http://tinyurl.com/4gj8svz blog of my twitter friend Ms. Harini Calamur, Film Maker, Marath Film Producer (Jhing Chik Jhing),TV Producer, Businesswoman, writer, blogger, and teacher. My response is not to counter and/or contradict blog of Harini, but adding my view point to the subject.


The issue of Delhi and crime against women is bit larger, especially when we discuss the safety of a particular gender in a city - Delhi. The points mentioned in the article are more or less similar across India. The situations arising out of bad parenting and/or self convincing interpretation of female's gestures along with not so efficient governance coupled with dragging judiciary are prevalent in all corners of India. Hence the question arise, then what makes Delhi more unsafe then rest especially when Delhi is resident for Prime minister, President, Most powerful political family (Gandhi), score of MP and other so-called high profile people? Well the answer lies within the question I guess. The presence of these pervets has actually been catalyst to increase the crime. However, Politics is not the epicentre of subdued state administration; it is the Power (money, muscle or fame) that is the centre of devastating incidents. The presence of these unwanted VIPS has degraded the machinery to impotency. I will be honest enough to accept, that I haven’t visited Delhi on personal note, but do have friends and other members and with close and long discussion with them (both genders included) have a picture of Delhi in front of me.

Police is no ultra special anywhere else, but the level of inefficiency that has infringed in Delhi state administration is voluminous due to high level hindrance and interference of so called law protector. The idea of getting absolved from crime by calling some MP's or spitting few rupee notes is far more significant. Every girl is not Jessica Lal, rather they should not have a fate of Jessica Lal, but nonetheless her offender did receive punishment ON PAPER (remember parole given by Delhi CM), many unfortunate girls can’t reach to even that extent. Another important point to be pondered is, rape is a NOT just a crime committed by individual or group of individual by forcing intercourse on the female, but it is the entire system who molests the victim by not physically touching but by having apathetic attitude and embarrassing her through ordeal of demonising the victim and glorifying the culprit and the crime. Hence the penalty should be levied upon rapist and also to each and every individual who was in that system that created hindrance to the justice. The supporters of crime, direct or indirect are the real parasites than the one who commits the act of rape, because the criminal thrives in confidence only through support of these scoundrels in the system, be it political, police, media and any other power house.

For pseudo human/woman right activist commenting on rape or rape victim is so very easy and to sympathise with rape victim it’s even more easy and fashionable. But as a society to actually empathize with the victim and to take some constructive steps to avoid it we have hardly any courage to do it and yes I say we including you, me and all others. We hear moral police says gals should not wear jeans or other stuff, we have politician saying if gals wear tight clothes she is inviting for being rape. WHAT SHIT. The idea "Not to rape" is required in the society and not "NOT TO GET raped". Tight clothes or intoxicated gals are no license for heinous crime and also not the character or past deed of women is the free pass.

The Chief Minister of Delhi passed the buck on society to be mute spectator while the crime of death and/or rape is committed, I would not squashed the allegation completely as others did, for I do believe society has to play active role and not be fence sitters. But for society to act there has to be conducive environment to act, which is to be provided by the state administration, independent of political and power gimmicks. The assurance of police helping the whistle blowers and also rendering security to both alert citizen along with victim is imperative as against current situation of cover up and sheltering the culprits. Sheila Dixit allowing parole of Manu Sharma, the culprit on dubious ground and along with inaction on various other cases have developed a kind of apathy in the society and that is real bad. I would also link the corruption in India and especially by the Delhi HQ of government as one of the reasons, for the corrupt will commit corruption and other illegal activities in alliance with dreaded criminals and not with saint who respects society law and discipline. Once in alliance, Politician has to shelter these criminals against the penalty of crime they commit and hence inaction gives confidence to others for repeating such crimes and giving a spiral effect.

I do agree respecting the women is more required then seeking death penalty for rapist, however, if the rapist are been lynched / hanged in 5-7 high profile rape cases and that too quickly, It shall at least to a extent relieve the pressure. To start with Manu Sharma, who enjoys five star stay should be directly hanged and also the machinery that supported his lavish living should also be booked, as for me it’s not one person who rapes by intercourse, but its entire group of people within and outside system molests the girl even without physically touching. - All the above however is with focus to Delhi considering the humongous crime rate despite the catalyst situation remaining synonym to rest of India.

As for reducing the crime rate against women, all the point that is mentioned in your article has to be implemented and quickly with a force. Additionally, victim should be allowed to kill the criminal in whatever manner she thinks is right without mercy petition going to president. And even if victim wants to forgive the culprit, the court should still persist with the case against the rapist and his supporters, as crime is not against just an individual but against society and generation as a whole. But also equally important is to make life easy for gals after that dreadful event, which can be done by not glamorizing the case by media but by providing fast judgment of death without bail. At least this minute steps can be taken along with the broader discussion in the articles mentioned, so as to reduce 0.000001% of pain of the victim and to restrict reoccurrence of the crime but fitting the fear of quick penalty.At the end I would seek, lets the Process BEGIN

P.S : Last but not the least, a real hearty compliments to Harini for her article. It is really worth a read. And somehow I do agree to all your points. Such articles are needed to shake the sleeping society to take action especially because the article is not dipped in sour taste of politicizing (meri kameez aapki ki kameez se safed hai, types) the heinous crime.

7 comments:

  1. Come on! are they kidding by saying that the not so decent clothing invites the criminal to do so. Dont they remember Priyadarshini Matoo case. She was raped at her house, she didnt step out to invite the rapist? isnt it? Neither she nor do any girl wearing any type of clothes wish to be in that category. Its the fickle mind of people who instead of getting the ways of safety are giving false/senseless excuse. Rape is more on psychological and emotional than its physical. Remember one line I heard from the father of a rape victim" It would have been better if my daughter was killed than she is raped.Now we die everyday because we live is shame." The attitude of politicians, police and the system is shameless. It feels ridiculous even if one touches you by mistake while you travel in bus/train forget the ill feeling after getting raped. Instead the system should be proper and over all the police needs to be sensitive to the women, which in Delhi is not. Yes, I said it. Its NOT. "women fear more to the police than the gundas on the street.true is that.

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  2. Very well, factually written article.

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  3. well said ..
    it is this entire sesne of rage against women in Delhi that bothers me...and makes me uncomfortable. i usually go there for work in the morning and try to return by night :)
    am appalled at the general 'boys will be boys' and 'yeh sabto hota hai' attitude.

    I am all for severe punishment... in this case i would prefer chemical castration and live to be an example rather than death ...

    also, i wish that religious bodies played a role in telling families and society that the rape victim is innocent, it is the rapist who is to be despised...

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  4. Rape has no connection with the clothing sense of a female. It's all in the mind of the rapist, a sick and dangerous person for the society.

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  5. Let me begin with saying I like your article. It is sound, it analyses important issues and puts them so anyone can understand. This is important.

    I particularly enjoyed you stating bluntly ' The idea "Not to rape" is required in the society and not "NOT TO GET raped". ' This is much needed.

    I agree with the political/system approach and it is something we discussed in another context as well - our system is misogynistic. This needs to change. Shiela Dixit's response is an example. Another is the Delhi Police Commissioner's recently. I remember being furious when I wrote http://aamjanata.com/delhi-police-commissioner-i-demand-you-resign/

    I would like to contribute another perspective, which is somewhat geographical - for the capital of the country, Delhi also is sprawling. There is abundant privacy to engage with predatory behavior without challenge, and it makes it very difficult to police.

    I remember a friend saying that she was surprised to be harassed in Mumbai, and I said without thinking, but it is the truth - I said "Mumbai isn't morally or culturally better or anything. Simple fact is that to be obscene in Mumbai, you have to be within arms distance to someone else.

    No matter the locality, no matter the time of the day or night, it is very rare to be the only person on the street for long. Too many people. someone or the other comes along. While this feels crowded and irritating, it provides a natural protection in terms of not offering much isolation. Crimes still happen - crowded and all.

    Delhi on the other hand is vast. It is less dense in terms of population. Abundant isolated areas provide natural opportunities to be out of sight of stray public. Unless this is understood and a solution designed to work around it, policing is destined to fail. It is impossible to police everything all the time.

    At some point, it is going to be needed to encourage people to use the city and keep it busy round the clock as the best defense and monitor less busy areas. Which happens to be the exact opposite of what the Police Commissioner or before him, Shiela Dixit are prescribing.

    I think you touch on an important point about the attitudes in the sense that there needs to be a robust and matter of fact challenge to the problem instead of managing it. You don't manage what you don't want - you freaking eradicate it - if you get my point. There needs to be far more determination among the guardians of the city.

    I had thought of a few other things, but I can't seem to remember them now. One I remember feeling important about... will return if/when I remember.

    Thanks for speaking up, writing. Let's blow this thing sky high.

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  6. @vidyut: Thanks so very much for the comment and also pointing out the missing aspect: geographical / locational reason in Delhi, as one of the blanket resource used by the offenders.

    The solution i feel is two folded legal and moral from with in society. The crowd cant b the defense of the women and also less crowd cant b license to the ill-mind.

    While i certainly take ur point, and this could be a starting point, the end goal has to change in mindset of society.

    But prior to anything the government which ever be the party, has to be sensitive towards solving the issue and first step be punishing and punishing quickly. Till the time we have heads of government blaming women for the offense, no amount of measure taken to avoid crime will succeed, as they niyat (vision) is more imp than takat (force). And as i say entire administrative right from constable to lawyer and doctor who facilitated the rapist must b taken in the round up as stern warning of not helping the criminal of such serious offense. last thing, rape although committed on individual should be treated as individual - even if girl wants to withdraw case due to pressure or whatever, the offender has to punished


    Rest we pretty much share similar idea. Thanks again :)

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  7. Yep. Already agree with that. In the political reasons, I'd like to mention what we spoke about, which prompted you to share this link - feminist leadership.

    We need a leadership sensitive to gender and the differences in power it brings about. Not saying the politician has to be a woman - Shiela Dixit is a woman and a hideous chauvinist, but a man/woman/transgender person who believes in safeguarding against gender domination.

    While it may seem like not directly related, it certainly will make a difference, because the attitude of the leader influences the kinds of things that are considered "allowed". Crimes happen with impunity when the public know the leader blames the victim.

    In fact, I'll go a step ahead and say anyone with chauvinistic views should not be allowed to manage things related with people contact - fom PM, to HM, etc CMs.... put them in freaking agriculture or something, where their attitudes are less relevant to masses. Ideally, keep them out of power, because they provide legitimacy to objectifying and victimizing women.

    This is the one I had forgotten :D

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