Are women being pushed back indoors? | CR Annapurna

There is an undercurrent of activism sweeping across India that is trying to push women back indoors. This patriarchal philosophy is targeting working women from various backgrounds to ensure that all their efforts in coming out of the clutches of orthodox compulsions are undermined by scuttling of the education and job prospects of young women across the country and denying them any bright future.

THE RECENT CASES of sexual harassment including rape, followed by gruesome murder of the female victims are a cause of concern in 21st century India. The series of cases beginning with Nirbhaya case in Delhi in 2012 to the recent RG Kar case a decade later has brought terror among the educated and working women. It takes a lot of hardship to get educated and reach a respectable position in society. Such cases of atrocities against women are becoming a matter of concern in civil society.

Senseless arguments

Senseless statements over the attire of women, their lifestyle and their being attractive continue to do the rounds without any understanding of the reality. There is a common belief that the status of women had been glorious in ancient India, and often, ancient texts are quoted to support this belief. In the same breath, it is bandied about that the condition of women in the subcontinent deteriorated with the invasions from the northwest, during the middle ages. But what many refuse to admit is that the condition of women has been degrading over the years, especially in the recent past.

Unforgettable efforts

A number of legal reforms were brought in during the early 19th century for the upliftment of women and the girl child in India. Abolition of sati, widow remarriage, abolition of child marriages and girl child education became important goals for many social reformers during this period. However, all these efforts will be in vain if the legal system is not strong enough today to strictly enforce the laws for the protection of women. And the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare continues to be a least-favoured ministry, both at the union and the State government level, because the ‘government’ as a legal structure, whether the Central or State, is male and patriarchal in thinking and behaviour. This also needs to be changed as early as possible.

The present scenario

Rape has become an instrument of causing insult and punishing women for several reasons. Any kind of sexual assault on a woman is most likely to degrade all women’s confidence levels. Indian women are not allowed to talk about and discuss anything – from periods to sex to harassment to stress and much more. The subjects are made to appear ‘more private’ than they actually are, for example, sex can be a matter of public health. Many cases of rape are not reported because of ‘shame’ factor and fear of retribution by the rapist, his friends, family and community. Those that are evident and are part of an organised crime trend are unable to secure justice in the courts of law.

Cases of sexual harassment are underreported in the organised sectors like the film industry, sports, etc. Several ‘Me Too’ movements come, raise eyebrows, do a lot of gushing in the newspaper headlines and slowly fade away. The same happens with the rape cases too. When the infamous Delhi Rape case happened, people came out on to the roads, marched with candle lights, and this then lead to the framing of the Nirbhaya Act. After 12 years, we only see a repeat of it in West Bengal with the Abhaya Act coming into force. Nothing changes for the common woman though after these Acts and in between.

Nirbhaya case stands as a landmark case bringing the entire nation to the discussion table on punishments for rape. The legal framework was changed making punishments harsher for the convicts. Now, even a 16-year-old can be tried as a minor was horrifically involved in this case. Further, death penalty is to be awarded if the victim turns out be less than 12-year-old.

These legal reforms, however, did not lead to reduction in crimes. Horrific cases continue to make headlines. The Shakti Mills case (2013), the Disha case (2019) and the recent RG Kars (2024) case involved highly-educated women; on the other hand, the Badaun case (2014), the Unnao case (2018), the Kathua case (2018) and the Hathras case involve girls from marginalised sections. What is very obvious is, no matter how educated or poor the victim is, how well-dressed or skimpily dressed, irrespective of who she is, it is ‘being a woman’ that proves fatal for her.

Cause of Concern

Sociology and economics tells us, grassroot development is the key to the overall development of the country and if women from these backgrounds empower themselves, there is no stopping such development. However, it is obvious, without gender education, sex education and behavioural education of boys and young men, nothing is going to change society’s belief, women are only for sexual gratification.With the series of violence happening across the country against women, and specially against those who have struggled hard to reach a respectable position in society at large, the people in the rural sector and the marginal spaces will be reluctant to educate their girls and young women. This will again lead to early marriages and thwart the progress of women in the long run.

Ambiguous Nature of Political will

On one hand we are seeing progressive efforts from the government in the form of ‘Beti bachao, Beti padao’ slogans, Women Reservation Act, Nirbhaya Act etc, and on the other we see increasing political interference and involvement in cases of sexual harassment. This is leading to confusion as to the sensibilities and the rationality of the people in power and their sincerity towards women’s safety. This further is encouraging others in indulging in crime against women. There is an urgent need to bring such cases to justice as soon as possible and punish the criminals, irrespective of their political, economic, social or religious backgrounds.

Conclusion

Red-light area sex worker from Kolkata’s Sonagachi recently said, ‘if you have so much lust, come to us’. But, lust is not the only thing that is the cause behind such crimes. In many cases, it is the urge to humiliate someone who protested against being a victim or refused to simply submit oneself. In some cases, women are harassed as revenge against their family, clan or tribe etc, whereby women become a victim of hatred. In some cases, they become mere tools of serious political strategies. From simple fights to wars, women have suffered the most as victims of sexual harassment.

Overall, it’s all in the mindset of a man who refuses to see the woman as an equivalent and deserving respect. Until justice is delivered and until this ‘mindset’ of men change, it is impossible to stop this violence.

(Author: CR Annapurna holds a Ph D in Political Science, Osmania University. She is the head, Department of Political Science and Principal (FAC) at Telangana Tribal Welfare Residential Degree College for Men, Kamareddy, Telangana.)

[Edited by Papri Sri Raman]