The Indian call for social changes

The Indian commission set up to review the status of sex crimes in India has submitted its report in record time. The recommendations range from better implementation of existing laws, sensitizing the population to gender issues and more severe legal sentences. However the biggest challenge for all social organisations will be trying to change antiquated patriarchal attitudes which legitimize violence and injustice against woman.

Will India consequently implement the recommendations of the commission? Will the citizens of the country wake up to this call for social change or forget it and return to their trudge through life based on antiquated customs and habits which have little relevance to the 21st century.

The initial reactions are promising. The massive demonstrations in Delhi and the resonance to the one billion rising campaign which was organised worldwide on 14th February are starting points. Two other examples are the reaction of the Shri Ram school in New Delhi or Anoushka Shankar’s (daughter of Ravi Shankar) appeal to many to join the campaign.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20863707

http://onebillionrising.org/livestream/entry/shri-ram-school-in-new-delhi-india

http://www.npr.org/2013/02/15/172078654/indias-one-billion-rising-campaign

Panel Calls for Legal and Social Changes in Wake of Delhi Gang Rape

A distorted view of masculinity

Many men in India grow up in male dominated surroundings. Based on a patriarchal society with socially and culturally accepted separation of genders, men have little contact with females in the post puberty phase. Due to the lack of if not limited natural interaction with young women they often grow up with false notions about manliness seeing sexual dominance as necessary to show their manliness. One predominant notion that prevails among young men is the concept of “asli admi” ( the Real man) which correlates with among other characteristics the need to be sexually aggressive in order to satisfy women. So the underlying contorted ideas about masculinity among many men in India influences the attitudes prevailing in the Indian social scene.

There are very few role models of manliness that don’t involve molesting a woman. Bollywood exacerbates the matter by often depicting its film heroes with stalking or related mannerisms. Lacking a role model of masculinity, Indian men often tend to view such mannerisms as worth emulating.

There are many underlying reasons behind the Delhi gang rape and the high occurrence of rape in India, all of which need to be addressed. But social organisations in India need to correct this distorted notion of masculinity by educating the masses on a broader base than done so far and breaking down the prevailing ‘culture of silence’.  It is time that social institutions in India work towards developing a “youth culture” that promotes a healthy, open, positive approach to sexuality and a normal relationship between both genders.

 

How would you react?

(Photo credit: gaelx)

How would you react if there is violence against woman in your city? What reaction is appropriate for a society that is dealing with the aftermath of the Delhi gang rape incident? How is a society to learn from the incident and still move forward?.

Woman are struggling with the diverse demands from many sides of Indian society. Be more cautious, careful, conservative in dress and behavior are the expectations of society!! Is the hard-fought for freedom of Indian woman to be given up just because India’s patriarchal society knows no other way to react than that?

English: Indian woman smiles in Delhi train station (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fight woman, fight for your rights and don’t let Indian society fall back in to the past days of repression.

Related articles

• The Real Shame: India’s Patriarchy Roars Back After Delhi Gang Rape (world.time.com)
• Channel emotions into ‘constructive’ action: Indian PM on rape victim’s death (todayonline.com)
• The empire within: India’s imperialist misogyny, a response to Madhu Kishwar (intrepidreport.com)
• Defence lawyer in New Delhi rape case blames victim; claims he’s never heard of ‘respected’ lady getting raped in India (news.nationalpost.com)
• How it feels to be a woman in India (globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com)

Welcome!

Welcome to my blogging adventure. I hope to be sharing my opinions and experience on women’s rights in India. The 2012 Delhi gang rape case has moved me deeply, and so I want to say my piece and hope it makes others think, too. I hope you’ll stick around – let’s see what we can discover together.

Related articles

• India president backs rape laws (bbc.co.uk)
• How it feels to be a woman in India (globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com)
• The Real Shame: India’s Patriarchy Roars Back After Delhi Gang Rape (world.time.com)
• Fatal gang rape shatters Indian family’s dreams (sacbee.com)
• India’s Economy Lags as Its Women Lack Opportunity (rajultrivedi.wordpress.com)