A Social Failure?

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 more fearful than the deranged committers of the same. We live in a society which is reluctant in accepting a woman freely after she was assaulted by a pack of feral men; a society where the rapist brandishes away while the victim is advised to not reveal the incident in fear of desecration. Deeply ingrained is a fear of being questioned on morality if women attempt to say a word against their brutal husbands. When she knows in the big world outside her voice would only be silenced by the societal preachings, why would a woman want to sacrifice the future of her kids by raising voice against the bread earner of her family. We live in a society with so crude a mentality that women rebelling out of their shells are manyatimes considered profane and seldom any support is extended to her.

Have we failed as a society? Leave away the questions of a better law, better policing, castration or more CCTVs; are we as a society ready to freely accept women who really come out and speak up? Is our society mature enough to not tag a rape victim girl as being provocative, saying that a clap needs both hands? Is our society ready to accept that girls can live, roam and speak in a way they choose to? Why does our society still consider complete woman submission to her husband her patni-dharma morality irrespective of how she is treated in return? If the response to any of the above questions is not affirmative, then I am afraid we havent reached a point where we can really realize bapu's dream of women emancipation.

Nevertheless on a positive note, charity begins at home. It is time for emancipation, and the fire that was stirred up by a girl unknown to all of us is just the beginning. The decibel levels across the country have risen since the incident and people are coming together in creating more awareness. The hope lies that the fire which was started will only spread and not dwindle.


P.S. Attached image is another sad picture of rape reporting taken from the web