Subhechcha Ganguly 
We, the people of India, seemed to have learned little since the 2012 Nirbhaya case. Women, who should feel safe on the roads of their country, in the comfort of their home, and their workplaces, continue to face horrific crimes of rape, assault, and murder.
According to 2023 data, an average of 86 rape cases are reported daily in India — a number that excludes countless incidents that go unreported. What’s more alarming is when police officers refuse to register FIRs under rape charges, shaming victims and their families instead of protecting them.
The mere fact that to wake up from our slumber and protest with an outrage, it takes a heinous crime like Nirbhaya, August 2024 – Kolkata doctor’s rape case, or the recent Durgapur gang rape. It disregards and undermines the gravity of those assaults that don’t make headlines simply because they are not deemed ‘gruesome enough.’ Doesn’t that mean nodding to the thriving rape culture in our country?
I log on to news channels or social media, feeds are filled with horrific stories of sexual assault on women and minor girls. In a recent news, a 14-month-old baby was raped and buried in a field by a Tripura man. In two other shocking incidents, a 7 year old child was assaulted in school washroom, and a 5 year old was raped by her stepfather.
News of assaults, rape, murder of women and children made one thing evident that nothing has changed since 2012 Nirbhaya case. The question that still hangs in the air, unanswered by the people in power is: Can stringent laws and capital punishments lead to lesser crimes against women and children? If yes, why are the sex offenders not afraid of being punished?
Sex offenses in India against women have become an epidemic. In the light of increasing gender-based crimes, what use is the slogan “beti bachao, beti padhao?” When the daughters of the country cannot walk on the roads without the fear of being stalked, harassed, eve-teased, molested, or raped, whom should be held accountable?
The derogatory comments of political leaders after such incidents, the political agendas that make waves on the plight of someone’s pain, and the failure to implement stringent laws marks the dark era in the history of our country.
On the surface level, we may present ourselves as a progressive country, but the growing normalization of rapes in India, unless it’s a high profile case or a horrendous act with outraged public on the roads, pictures the ground reality in an appallingly different story.
Many experts and activists believe that there is no correlation between capital punishment and reduction in crimes of rape. Addressing the root causes of sexual violence can lead to prevention of such heinous crimes.
Argued by many experts and organizations, listed below are the prominent root causes of sexual violence:
Deep-rooted Patriarchal Mindset – In some parts of our country, including the metro cities, men are still raised with patriarchal norms and values. The lack of empathy and respect for women makes them entitled to control women, a major drive for sexual violence.
Domestic Violence – The system continues to silence women with domestic violence. Often discouraged to share their grief with friends and outsiders, women suffer silently. Their modesty is insulted by the male members of the family or acquaintance – the father or brother who wants to teach her a lesson; the husband who thinks marriage is the license to undermine her consent; a neighbour who stalks her; or a boss who passes derogatory comment or makes sexual advancements.
Victim Blaming – Over the years, many political leaders have made insensitive or controversial remarks about rape victims. These comments, though garnered condemnation from the public, are still responsible for perpetuating patriarchal and misogynistic mindset, shifting the perpetrator’s action to blaming the victim’s behaviour. This government must take stricter action to address such gender-based violence seriously.
Political Agendas – The authority figures lack a political will to bring systemic solutions to bring justice to the victims of sexual abuse. The parties must work on a common agenda of punishing the culprits rather than blaming each other for inefficiencies.
Role of Mass Media – The role of cinema in India plays a crucial role in deteriorating the image of women by objectifying the female body for the gaze of men. Much of the content shouts a patriarchal narrative with suppressed women characters, both sexually and in interpersonal relationships.
Why Women Feel Justice Is Still Out Of Reach?
Rape victims are often intimidated facing threats and harrasment from the accused and officials. The absence of a strong witness protection program, lack of knowledge of their legal rights, uncooperative law enforcement officials, slow judiciary proceedings, all add to the ongoing grief and pressure on the victim and her family.
Lack of apathy from police, insensitive comments, shoddy investigation, judicial delays, low conviction rate, and limited access to quality legal aid are intersecting failures designed to deny or delay justice.
Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied.
Isn’t it true? A delayed justice fails to serve the purpose of justice to the victims and their families. Moreover, the leaders of our country shouldn’t be at the liberty to wait for a brutal rape to bring the culprits to justice.
Certain measures must be taken throughout the year to minimise the crimes against women, like:
Initiatives to educate the males in the family toward women’s needs.
Gender sensitization topics must be included in school-curriculum to break the existing patterns of patriarchy.
Designing and executing programs to bring a collective shift in the societal mindset to break taboos and old beliefs.
Sensitivity training to government officials dealing with rape victims and their families.
Prompt judicial actions leading to justice-in-time.
Listing of first-time and habitual sex offenders on government official websites, running awareness programs and self-defence classes for girls and women.
When justice remains out of reach, it’s not only the system that fails, it’s the collective conscience of a nation that chooses silence over accountability.
