The Clock Stops At The 29th min.

                       

  It is rightly said that ‘’ rape is the only crime in which the victim becomes the accused.’’ This stands true in case of India where most of the rape cases are not reported to the police. The fear of loosing one’s reputation in the society is more than one’s self respect which she looses in her own eyes. If they make a case, it becomes public knowledge and then the victim as well as her family may be shunned by the society as they are seen as ‘’damaged goods’’.  Sometimes reports are not recorded by the police as the accused may be of an influential background and the victim is of lower segment of the society. Other reasons for not lodging the reports may be due to the risk of having a future where she is hit upon by immoral questions on her character. Facing the mocking jerks every nook and corner further adds on to her woes, as they form an imp. part of the society we live in and can not be ignored.

 We are brought up in a society and we are told by our parents that we should respect all family relations. And what we get back is a father having sexual relations with his daughter, an uncle molesting a minor girl, a girl been kidnapped, gang raped and later thrown on the road by some youth whom our daughters and sisters may get married later. Is this justice? Is this the society we actually wanted to live in? Is a society like this worth judging our character?

    Everyday newspaper headlines come bolting on our way like this saying ‘’15 year old gang raped in car’’. Now, the question arises what after that? If the report is filed the accused are arrested then what will be done so that this malevolence crime is neither repeated by the accused as well as those who get to know about it? Is 10 years imprisonment enough a punishment for spoiling the life of an innocent girl, who may have been left with an option of committing suicide, for the society may not accept her now? I don’t think so. Such a light punishment implies there is a tacit permit to tolerate such things. It seems rape is more like a minor offence. What happened to being the flag bearer of women’s right??

     The reported cases of rape have gone up by 700% since 1953 in India. In America the law says that a rape accused is either hanged to death or has to bear such other punishment as the court martial may direct. Are such punishments enough to make people confine this sin? Will they fear law so much that they can not even think of getting their pants down on seeing a girl alone walking back home at night? If not, then there is some problem with the law. Castration can be a solution. Cutting the root cause of the problem can be the solution. This would fright a person before he thinks of committing any such heinous crime as rape. As Saint Augustine has said ‘’the greatest evil is physical pain’’ then may be police remand and third degree torture is the need of the hour. Rape in UAE carried the death penalty, at least for ex-pats raping citizens . The best a rapist could hope for is deporation. The law making bodies have to take this problem more seriously. The accused most of the times are set free, because the officials are corrupt and easily bribed.

     Prostitution is legalized in Canada, most of Europe including England, France, Wales, Denmark etc., most of south America including most of Mexico, Brazil, Israel, Australia and many other countries. Private consenting adult sexwork should be legal as it is in most of the countries. Brothels are everywhere even in India. Though it is not legalized here, but everyone knows where to go. It is more of an implied agreement which if made legal may reduce the rape cases in India. Legalizing prostitutions debates that our culture is at stake. What culture do we have where civilizations have come and gone but people are still uncivilized? Where is our culture and traditions when a 4 year old is molested by a 40 year old?

     In our country a women would have to turn the case into media circus to have a chance at justice and 90% of rape victims would not do so out of fear and shame. The most famous example here can be seen of Ruchika Girhotra case where the disgraced former Haryana director general of police SPS Rathore   was finally sentenced to jail  20 years after he actually committed the crime. This was all done because of the media pressure.   

    1 out of every 4 rapes in India is committed in our capital, Delhi. A staggering 56% of rape accused are below the age of 25. Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal are leading the states with most number of rape cases in India. According to a data in every 29 minutes a women is raped. The time is running, the next minute coming. Just hoping that it’s not the 29^th min. of any girl’s life will not be enough. Action has to be taken now. Laws have to be reframed, to save our sisters and daughters, from the claws of the beasts roaring down the streets in hunt of an easy and lonely prey. Or else keep the doors locked and be a victim of the four walls of the house, for you never know whose 29^th min. may be near. It is said that 80% of the accused are known to the victims, so you never know if you are safe in your house or ?????????????