Musings, facts and fun

When the question of sexual harassment and violence against women comes up, many of us believe that such acts happen due to some estranged and perverted extremists out there. We shirk it off by saying 'They are a bunch of psychopathic weirdos.' But are 'they' different? Do 'they' differ in terms of ideologies towards women? The point that many of us miss is that such people only represent a surface of a much larger issue which looms, or should I say engrained deep into our societal fabric which we all happen to subconsciously endorse. That such people share mindsets like us. Losing Honor Take for instance our colloquial language, the act of rape is manyatimes referred to as 'izzat lootna' (In English this translates to losing ones honor). The victim did not commit any crime; she did not venture forcedly into someone else's personal space. How, then, could she be desecrated because some feral man decided to impose himself on her? What doe...

Before I say anything, lets teleport ourselves to eavesdrop on a couple of conversations; which will hopefully get the point across the table: Scene 1: Two newly met male colleagues discussing about their families. Person1: “Hey, is your wife working or not?”. Person2: “Naah, she doesn’t work. She stays at home.” Oh hell, not working! What do you think she is doing round at clock at home? Who magically cleans the dishes spotless, puts the baby to sleep, irons your clothes, prepares steaming food waiting on the table when you go back from your work? Why does working only have to be stepping outside the four walls of the home? If you are 8 hour leased to your company, she is working out as a 24*7 employee though within the home. Scene 2: Two ladies meet after a long time at a restaurant post college. Both of them talk for hours telling each other about their lives and careers. One of them explains her situation to the other: “I am good for nothing. After a...

As I write these words, the nation is reeling in a shocked mourning state. The nation’s capital has seen yet another brutal incident of a young girl being assaulted on a fateful night. Such shocking incidents apart from bringing into light our weak laws also question the very vitality of our own social fabric.  Where do we stand as a society? Have we collectively failed in creating a social fabric where people can live without fear, or breathe freely for that matter? If that night was fateful, there are million other nights where households across the country witness physical and sexual assaults within the confines of their walls. There would be thousands of women who would agree of having been molested within the four walled privacy of their own homes. There would be a million others who just bottle their emotions by accepting battering by their husband a mundane daily affair. Unfortunately today we live in a society where the hapless victims of crimes are ...