An urge to write something relating women issues struck my mind after a conversation with one of my friends
when she shared some instances of street harassment and insecurities they
face/faced. Predominantly, these are the personal views on how our society
silently nurtures violence.
The history of violence against women is tied to the
history of women being viewed as property and a gender role assigned to be
subservient to men. In our society, the violence promulgated along with shift
of Hinduism from civilization to religion and institutionalized by socio-economic/political
authorities established on the same base.
By now most of these values have been time-honoured as
a part of socialization. Exposed or somehow disguised, the remnants of
patriarchy are common in society, that in one way or other cultivate the seed
of women inferiority to the growing minds. I'm aware many of us would not responsively
agree to these views.
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Her father
protects (her) in the childhood, her husband protects (her) in the youth, her
sons protect (her) in the old age; a woman is never fit for independence.
(Manusmriti, 9.3)
Like all the major religions of the world, Hinduism is
also a male-dominated religion. Women play submissive role there. According to
it, females were created as a part of duality in creation, to provide company
to men and facilitate procreation, progeny and family lineage.
Evident from the division of duties prescribed by scriptures,
a husband has wider obligatory duties than his wife. Females have limited
freedom and live as a dependent entity in a household and society dominated by
male members. They're never liable for administrative powers.
Although Hindus worship many female deities and women
are extolled as Mata, 'the auspicious one'; the instances of discrimination are more evident. Hindu legendary female figures like Sita, Draupadi, Ambika, Kunta,
Menaka not only exemplify the ideal conduct of women in public and private life
but also reflect the hardships faced by women. Even Sita, incarnation of goddess
Laxmi, had to bear the brunt of gender discrimination and public ire.
Upon the death of their husband, Sati was
practiced and wives self-immolated themselves on the funeral pyres of their
husband. How inhumane!
On the contrary, men had freedom of multiple marriages or
to keep mistress. Prominent members of society visited prostitutes and felt no
qualm about it. On the opposite, a woman was kept in confinement and was not
allowed to meet any men outside her family.
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Women constitute half
(11587502) of the total population (23151423) in Nepal. Still,
their status is vulnerable here. Violence against women in various forms is
rampant in the country. Social pattern, discriminatory laws, religion,
education, policy and patriarchal systems from central to the local level, especially
the mind-set of the people have subsequently contributed in violation of women rights.
Analysing
the incidents in society that occurs against women, basically violence, it's
seen that a background of one case of violence begets other violence. Here I'd mostly focus over
the sexual violence ranging from street harassment to instances of domestic
violence.
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Street
harassment and sexual assault sometimes involving sexual intercourse, initiated
by one or more persons against the consent, is common in our society. Public
sexual harassment occurs on a continuum starting with words, stalking and
unwanted touching, which can lead to more violent crimes like rape, assault and
murder. It is about asserting power, and it communicates to targets that they
are not safe.
The
consequences of these interactions are striking. People who experience street
harassment are prone to greater body shame, preoccupation with physical
appearance, heightened fears of rape, increase in depression, the limiting of
social interactions.
The
frequency of this form of harassment is both shocking and serious in its
implications. At a critical stage of development, this fear hinders women's
ability to gain confidence by completing tasks independently.
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Violence against women
is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and
women. It is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced
into a subordinate position compared with men.
Violence against women
not only impairs girls' and women’s abilities to negotiate a better life for
themselves but also impacts negatively on the health of the survivors— emotional, psychological and physical; security; and, self-esteem.
Different studies in
Nepal also show that the perpetrators in rape cases being reported over the
last few months are teachers, neighbours and even close relatives. Rape by
strangers is usually less common than rape by persons the victim knows.
Women are more likely
to be victimised by someone that they are intimate with, commonly called
"Intimate Partner Violence", (IPV). The violence is not always
perpetrated as a form of physical violence but can also be psychological and
verbal. Instances of IPV tend not to be reported, and thus true magnitude of
problem is hard to estimate.
Unless we empower women
and challenge the prevailing submissive culture, cases of violence will
continue to go unreported, leaving women at risk of undergoing physical assault
and mental trauma.
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Culture/tradition
is something that acquires continuity as of public conduct initiated at some
instance. Although, culture, tradition and religion have their own superior
sense; they can't be observed detached from each other. The relative reference
of one another is always essential in defining/describing them.
Modern
pupil are also outcome of those very social norms guided by religion. People
who come from culture guided by religion view women to be inferior to men.
Traditional definitions have nurtured women in a specific pattern cultivating
notion to accept humiliation. General concept is that women should be gentle,
pretty and appealing. Beauty sells better in the market than your intelligence!
Though
cultural consumers may interpret it differently, the issues are in fact
entangled. The society is eventually gliding towards capitalism and right here
arrives the role of market to foster these designs to public. Inhumane nature
is an innate characteristic of market. The sole superiority of bazaar lies in
selling everything possible and it doesn't bother implications afterward.
Besides, almost everything being sold out in the
market, be it products or commodities or ideas, gets continuity in the
cultural name-base. One of the greatest potential of our societal souk is that
it can sow traditional beliefs even while the consumers ponder progression. The
contents in media can be taken to explain the point.
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Media are the most pervasive and one of the most
powerful of the many influences on what shapes our view relating men and women.
Woven throughout our daily lives, media insinuate their messages into our
consciousness at every turn.
All forms of media communicate images of the sexes,
most of which foster stereotypical and limiting perception. Women are
underrepresented- physically or mentally — which falsely implies that men are the
cultural standard and women are submissive.
An actor always needs to be robust, taller richer or
intelligent than his counterpart actress. A girl as child is given a doll to
play with, unlike her brother given with toy cars or guns. She is expected to
show affection more to a make-up kit than books as she grows up!
Stereotypical portrayal reflects and sustains socially
endorsed views of gender, emphasize traditional roles and normalizes violence
against women.
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Cultures and traditions
should transform with time. It's never obligatory to follow the traditions that once
persisted in identical way till future. Tradition that cannot cope with
traversing period detaches itself from life as a symbol and ultimately gets
vanished.
Shielded either by
women generosity or hoary mask of male superiority, there’re many momentous
challenges of existing as women in our society till date- veiled under their
makeups and smile.
A step towards
establishing society free from violence against women can be reserved only by
renouncing traditional mentality. It's obligatory to stop seeing women as
puppets if we want our mothers, wives and daughters to be safe around the
marketplace. It has already been late for a paradigm shift.
