A Country That Hates Its Women...
Author :
Pooh
Blog :Hodgepodge and Balderdash
Date: 7/14/2012 1:00:00 PM
I feel beaten, and broken and scared. I am at a loss for words. My emotions swing from horror, to rage to despair. Watching a bunch of monsters tearing apart a teenage girl in public never puts anyone in a good mood I'm sure. How do you react to something like this? Yes things like this happen, have happened. There are thousands of people like me who write about it, pages are dedicated to the issue in newspapers, "experts" present their analysis on television talk shows, governments make claims and issue strict warnings to people contemplating such actions. Yet, two days later you read/ see something similar. And are the perpretators ever caught? And if they are, are they punished? Hardly. They go about with their merry lives while the victim has to face the shame, humiliation and trauma that comes out of something like this. And all this, for no fault of hers.
There was a time when my blood boiled when I saw/ read about such things. I still feel these emotions but, overshadowing them all is that feeling utter hopelessess and helplessness, of knowing that whatever is said and done, monsters like these will roam the streets, incidents like these will be repeated and nothing will be done. There was a time when I thought people could make a difference. No more. I mean how can so many people go by and not even think of assisting a poor kid who's being pawed at by a bunch of animals? Even animals wouldn't stoop so low. And the day these monsters can stare into the camera and grin while doing something so utterly beyond human comprehension is the day you know a society has died inside.
So far, I have never felt this scared about going out in India. Now I do. So far, I always thought my parents were paranoind when they asked me to be home before it was dark. Now I know its otherwise. So far I hoped being a girl in India could get no worse. Now I know it can. Its like being born a girl in this nation (which boasts of a rich cultural heritage and adherence to tradition and values) is enough to seal your doom.
If you are born a girl, you will be groped, started at, commented about, pawed at sometimes even raped and noone will come to your aid. If you dare to raise your voice in protest against one of them, he'll find twenty more to take his side and you will have noone on yours. They will remain untouchable. After all they are men. They can do no wrong. Even if they did, it was all harmless "eve teasing". After all you asked for it- by the way you dressed, the way you walked, the way you smiled. You even looked them in the face. You were inviting it on yourself. They just taught you a lesson so you wouldn't forget how to behave in public. The next time you go out, keep your head down, don't look anyone in the face, watch how you dress (not that it helps), don't smile, don't talk and maybe then, just maybe, they will spare you.
I do not want to talk about how to handle this issue. I do not want to talk about my feelings, I do not want to talk about how the government can handle this (I cannot think of any punishment less than castration for these pitiful excuses for humanity). All I am wondering about is- how can I even think about having a kid and bringing him/ her up in this kind of a culture. If its a girl what do I teach her? Should I hide her away from the world? Should I make sure she's empowered enough to stand up for herself? Should I go with her everywhereshe goes? Its not like any of these options would ever work. If its a boy, what do I teach him about his tribe? Should I tell him about monsters like these? Should I teach him to stand up against such men and risk him getting killed like a couple of guys who made the mistake of standing up for their girl friends outside a club in Mumbai? Maybe I should'nt bring another life into such a fucked up world. Maybe I should just leave this country for good and never come back.
And yes, atrocities are commited everywhere but, nowehere are the perpetrators mostly never caught and harldy ever punished like it happens in our great country. Nowhere will we have people coming out in support of the perpetrators like it happens in our country. When people are not scared of commiting such atrocities in public, are not scared of being caught or punished, are in fact enjoying the attention they are garnering out of commiting such an act is the day you know that as a woman, your life/ honor has no value at all. Its time to get out of this great country, 'cos am sure nothing else will help us now.