There is a rape happening every few hours it seems .. If you watch the news channels. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, a minister in the Central Govt, even a star like Priety Zinta has filed a case against a business scion Ness Wadia … What is going wrong ? Is it that some men get out of the house and think of raping or molesting some woman every day ? Or is it that an opportunity presents itself and brings the animal out in the open ? Rape or any kind of abuse, seems more about power than hormones. Some men who hurt little children are exceptions – when society finds such men, they just need to be put away till they die or hang them. There is really no hope for that man who put a bottle up a 5 year old girl’s anus.
I want to explore women’s role in all this … Just want to rewind to the Tarun Tejpal case. He allegedly molested his daughter’s friend. Disgusting. But what did his wife and daughter do ? Will they disown him ? And I do wonder if the incident had happened in Delhi, it would be her in jail and Tejpal being morally indignant. Why wouldn’t his wife just leave him ? A girl who is somebody’s daughter has been allegedly molested by your husband and we hear nothing from you. Sad.
One of the possible reasons why rapes happen so easily is every daughter has a father but every father doesn’t have a daughter :(:(. While laws get enacted and this menace is dealt with force, women must also do their bit for their daughters, sisters, mothers, friends – if your son or husband behaves badly with you or with another woman, disown him publicly. Imagine if in UP, the wife of the son and wife of the father disown them publicly ? Refuse them entry in the house till the rapes stop in UP …. What if the grand-daughter refuses to wish her father and grandfather today on Father’s Day, because those two girls who got raped and hung on a tree aren’t around to wish their father ?
If you assume these same men will protect your modesty and be your pillar of strength, think again… It’s high time, women stood up and said “No” where it mattered and publicly disown erring sons, fathers, husbands and brothers. Maureen, time for you to do that if Ness was wrong. Similarly Dimple dear, ask your husband to return home after he has stopped the rapes, and Sadhanaji, if you can publicly ask Mulayam to keep his mouth shut, it will help.
My father brought me up without ever hitting me, however difficult I became. He always said, a girl/woman should never be hit. Yes he made me independent, he gave me wings and stood behind me as I tried anything… But most of all, he willed me into this world. He was a father who wanted a daughter and that too when he and mom had decided they will have just one child. Wish more fathers will daughters into the world and be the air beneath their wings and the wall that stops the storm from lashing their lives. The world would be a better place.
Till then, women must stand up and take charge. C’mon Maureen, Dimple, Geetan Tejpal and SadhanaJi – don’t stand by and let your son and husbands take the easy way out. If they aren’t in the wrong, take them back into your fold, but if not, stop the menace. Please. An unhappy Father’s Day :(:(