Reading Time: 5 minutes
I hate to pick up the newspaper every morning. For the simple reason, that beginning with the front page, reports about sexual crimes and atrocities peep from all corners. I will wager, there will be eight to ten stories, randomly, on a single day. Enough to make your blood boil. And ruin your mood for the entire day. Women with daughters (I happen to be one) of all ages have begun to live in consternation lest similar evil might befall their darlings. In fact, I am inclined to believe (I’m sure many others will too) that sexual assault against the fair sex has been in vogue over the last few years, like never before. Just take a look at the immense variety of the crimes perpetrated on the poor hapless creatures – groping, molestation, moving on to solo rape and finally gang rape!
Our Heritage & Culture
And we call ourselves an ancient, exalted civilization? A familiar old Sanskrit adage goes thus: “Yatra naryastu poojyante, ramante tatra devtaa.” Apparently, these heartless monsters have either not heard of this or else have grown blissfully oblivious of this lofty ideal. Or perhaps they consider rape a new mode of worshipping the womenfolk. Words fail me!
Then & Now
Horrific Incidents
Facts & Figures
In December each year, Human Rights Day (10th December) is observed globally. Pledges are taken to grant all human beings their basic inalienable rights. Yet millions of tortured and damned girl children continue to live in darkness, shame, pain, and agony.
The moot point is: why do such incidents occur? It’s got to be either of the two things. One segregation of sexes and repression since early childhood; and two, mental ill-health coupled with severe hormonal imbalance. Such factors may propel adolescents and adult men to commit such dastardly crimes. However what leaves me flummoxed is how toddlers and pre-teen boys (just out of their diapers) can think along sexual lines? A case in point is the Dwarka incident. Easy accessibility to Internet, garbled, inaccurate information and porn could be the main culprit. Also, instead of exercising abundant caution, parents (read married adults) of diverse age groups tend to live reckless lives, which hugely impact tender minds of children in the families.
Sociologist Samata Deshmane of the Bangalore University feels the problem is not just sociological, but also psychological. She adds, it is flawed socialisation that allows people to view women in a way that encourages them to hurt or even destroy them. Noted psychologists like Sulata Shenoy and BN Gangadhar, advise spread of sex education, among necessary measures to tackle the situation. On their part, parents must train their little ones not to report any suspicious behaviour or act on part of strange males, avoid venturing out except under parental supervision, and resist temptations of gifts, goodies proffered by potential rapists. The change must come from within. Stringent punishment or psychiatric treatments are likely to prove superficial. Mothers of boys must teach their wards to respect females from the cradle till senility. The boys must learn to respect their sisters, neighbours, playmates instead of treating them as mere worthless objects, which can be twisted and tormented as per their whims. Men and their mothers must bear in mind that little girls of today, will become mothers of more men in future. Pray, do not trample on the rosebuds of today. Once they bloom, they will fill the garden of childhood with fragrance.
©Ruchira Adhikari Ghosh
Photos from the Internet
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