News: A woman was raped in Kolkatta. People's reaction: What a horrific crime!
News: She was a divorcee, had a few drinks in the bar, she took a lift in a car late night. People's reaction: Well she was calling for it then!
This is exactly the kind of society reaction that ensures that rape remains a crime where victim is treated more of a criminal than the criminal. No wonder that almost daily the Indian newspapers report on rape crimes. Given the society we live in I wonder how many go unreported. Few years ago I remember some women remarking on the rape of a North Eastern girl late at night in Delhi, that she was calling for it roaming so late in the night. The same remark was made by none other than Delhi Chief Minister Mrs Sheila Dikhsit on the murder of a female journalist late at night.
I am sure if a man would have been assaulted or knifed under similar circumstances, no one would have questioned about his private life or what he was doing their so late in the night. If a physical assault on any man does not warranty a thesis on his private life, then why should it be for a woman? Rape is after all one of the forms of a physical assault and a crime irrespective of the history of the victim.
I agree that the Indian society has come a long way in treating its rape victims. But it still has a long way to go when it comes to judging men and women with same set of moral codes.
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