Before anything else, first and foremost, I'd like to say just this:
Ms. Suzette Jordan, Ms. Bilkis Bano, Ms. Santasree Chaudhari (and all such ladies): RESPECT!!
When the much-publicised (and now-forgotten) December 16 case had made news, I had written earlier this year about the state-of-affairs in our country and how things have remained pretty much the same even thereafter.
Well, turns out, things are just as bad (if not worse) even now.
Sample this from the article on Suzette (link available later within this post), for the contribution of the police in her (and surely, many others') case:
"Later, as they listened to her horrific story, the policeman asked one another if they too were going to go for a drink that night. Then they laughed, looking lewdly at Suzette; one of them said, “Who knows, we could get lucky tonight.”
“I had seen this happen in Hindi movies. Trust me,” says Suzette, “reality is much worse.”
Can there be anything worse than having cheap fun at the expense of an already troubled soul? That too, by those who are supposed to be our custodians?
And it's not just the police for that matter: it's everywhere.
It's all of us who need to share the blame.
Here's the 'society' doing its bit:
"Every day brought fresh ‘stories’, new horrors. Bengali society wanted an explanation for why that ‘Park Street woman’ had been drinking, or why she had gone out late, or why she had agreed to take a lift from a stranger – as if doing any of those things meant giving all the men of Kolkata permission to rape her.
In gossip-loving Calcutta, people quickly found out who she was. Some heard, others guessed based on her TV silhouettes. From potential landlords to job interviewers, nobody wanted anything to do with the Park Street Rape Victim.
“It wasn't just me who suffered,” recalls Suzette. “It was my sister, my brother, my dad who were discriminated against because of me.”
When her sister was looking for a job at another call centre they told her, “We know you are the sister of that rape victim. We don’t want to be associated with the Park Street case in any way.”
Leave aside the rapists, for a moment. I wonder if we are any different from those perverts who committed the act for a duration of time and left.
We - from the police to all around us, as a society - through such attitudes as mentioned above, not only maim the victims but even the family of the victim(s), for the rest of their lives!
Now, who is the bigger perpetrator?
Are we ourselves not just as culpable, if not more, than the rapists?
Are we not guilty of an even bigger sin than the rapists?
Unfortunately, changing everyone's attitude, reaction and behavior is not in our hands.
What, for sure, is in our hands, is our actions - both pre-emptive as well as (God forbid, but if befalls), reactive.
I strongly urge everyone to read these two must-reads - which are factual, informative, helpful and poignant - all rolled together.
The first article talks about the courage of 'victims' such as Ms. Suzette and Ms. Bilkis Bano, and also of Ms. Santasree Chaudhari - the kind of person this world dearly needs more of.
The second one is about the steps and actions that every woman (and all her family members, friends, well-wishers) must know and help with, if at all (God forbid!) things some to such a pass.
Do read and share.
Hopefully, the actions that we take, the courage, perseverance, help (in any which way) and gumption we provide for all such 'victims' - will stand all of us in good stead., and lead to a better India.
Ms. Suzette Jordan, Ms. Bilkis Bano, Ms. Santasree Chaudhari (and all such ladies): RESPECT!!
When the much-publicised (and now-forgotten) December 16 case had made news, I had written earlier this year about the state-of-affairs in our country and how things have remained pretty much the same even thereafter.
Well, turns out, things are just as bad (if not worse) even now.
Sample this from the article on Suzette (link available later within this post), for the contribution of the police in her (and surely, many others') case:
"Later, as they listened to her horrific story, the policeman asked one another if they too were going to go for a drink that night. Then they laughed, looking lewdly at Suzette; one of them said, “Who knows, we could get lucky tonight.”
“I had seen this happen in Hindi movies. Trust me,” says Suzette, “reality is much worse.”
Can there be anything worse than having cheap fun at the expense of an already troubled soul? That too, by those who are supposed to be our custodians?
And it's not just the police for that matter: it's everywhere.
It's all of us who need to share the blame.
Here's the 'society' doing its bit:
"Every day brought fresh ‘stories’, new horrors. Bengali society wanted an explanation for why that ‘Park Street woman’ had been drinking, or why she had gone out late, or why she had agreed to take a lift from a stranger – as if doing any of those things meant giving all the men of Kolkata permission to rape her.
In gossip-loving Calcutta, people quickly found out who she was. Some heard, others guessed based on her TV silhouettes. From potential landlords to job interviewers, nobody wanted anything to do with the Park Street Rape Victim.
“It wasn't just me who suffered,” recalls Suzette. “It was my sister, my brother, my dad who were discriminated against because of me.”
When her sister was looking for a job at another call centre they told her, “We know you are the sister of that rape victim. We don’t want to be associated with the Park Street case in any way.”
Leave aside the rapists, for a moment. I wonder if we are any different from those perverts who committed the act for a duration of time and left.
We - from the police to all around us, as a society - through such attitudes as mentioned above, not only maim the victims but even the family of the victim(s), for the rest of their lives!
Now, who is the bigger perpetrator?
Are we ourselves not just as culpable, if not more, than the rapists?
Are we not guilty of an even bigger sin than the rapists?
Unfortunately, changing everyone's attitude, reaction and behavior is not in our hands.
What, for sure, is in our hands, is our actions - both pre-emptive as well as (God forbid, but if befalls), reactive.
I strongly urge everyone to read these two must-reads - which are factual, informative, helpful and poignant - all rolled together.
The first article talks about the courage of 'victims' such as Ms. Suzette and Ms. Bilkis Bano, and also of Ms. Santasree Chaudhari - the kind of person this world dearly needs more of.
The second one is about the steps and actions that every woman (and all her family members, friends, well-wishers) must know and help with, if at all (God forbid!) things some to such a pass.
Do read and share.
Hopefully, the actions that we take, the courage, perseverance, help (in any which way) and gumption we provide for all such 'victims' - will stand all of us in good stead., and lead to a better India.
