It would be fair to say that not all women in India are safe against physical or verbal attacks against them in the modern day society. So what is the government and the society doing to protect them against all possible threats?
Most Indians would agree with me when I say that recent times have not been even close to best for women in the country.
Some men not being able to keep their hands off women has resulted in the fairer sex being subject to constant ogling, eve teasing and rapes.
This has left us wondering what the government and the society, on the whole, is doing to preserve their liberty and at the same time, defend their honour.
It would be lying if we said that the government has not taken steps to curb the attacks on women. However, some of these measures are so ridiculous that we end up feeling bad that we have such bad leaders.
Let us take a look at some of these outlandish impositions from women’s everyday life –
Having a separate ladies’ compartment in trains and metros make them easy victims to groping and eve teasing. Picture this – over a hundred women, old and young, crammed within a single space; doesn’t it make them an easy victim to abuse?
The eve teasing and rape cases have resulted in some Indian politicians making the most dreadful remarks about women. Telling women how to dress is not the solution. Rapists and oglers do not have a type; to them, a burqa clad woman and a woman wearing skirt are the same.
Elders of the society have also blamed women staying out too late as the reason for them being the victim to heinous crimes. This practically says that the society has given up on defending women and the only resort is taking a defensive measure which might be against the interest of some women.
Women are also advised against drinking alcohol. If they are attending a corporate party or a social gathering, drinking for them is off limits.
Shifting their residence to certain locations is barred, too. If a certain neighbourhood has witnessed violence against women, relocating to that vicinity is a strict no.
Some women like working out at night. Thanks (..or no thanks) to the violent crimes against females going running alone at night is not permitted.
The elders even recommend not talking back to harassers, as it might result in a violent altercation. Women are expected to lower their heads and walk away from the scene.
Some families even object to women eating foods like hotdogs, banana or ice cream in public. Where some of them are labelled as penis-shaped foods, others just garner leering attention, which might eventually lead to an uncomfortable situation for them.
