Rape is a social evil that has reached explosive proportions. It has ruined many lives and continues to do so at a frantic pace. No one is immune and age is not an obstacle. From infants to the elderly to corpses, rape has become a diabolical symbol of power in a wicked world. In the US, a violation occurs every two minutes; In India, every 54 minutes and in Pakistan, every three hours. The tragedy is that 80% are perpetrated by parents, siblings, relatives or friends. Six out of ten occur in the home or the home of a relative or friend. The story of an Austrian father, who raped his daughter for 24 years and fathered seven children through her, is still fresh in our minds.
Although rape occurs in all social groups, it is more common among minority groups with low social status. An abuser does not necessarily have to be a seedy character. You can be well-educated, well-groomed, and have a high level in society, such as a judge, a government official, a policeman, or a priest. Doctors have even been known to rape patients in their clinics. The rapist can be of any age, from an old man to a young teenager. The growing trend to rape minors by force or through seduction is terrifying. Boys 14 and younger have been known to rape their classmates and kill them for fear of being caught.
Reasons not reported:
A habitual rapist can abuse 8-10 women before being caught. Since conviction rates are only 2%, many cases go unreported.
o Most women fear the stigma associated with rape, especially when the law does not convict the rapist. They become secretive and even believe that they are somehow guilty.
o Lack of faith in the judicial system: many times the court judges the victim, questions her about her morality and investigates her sexual history. When a bailiff in Mumbai raped a 15-year-old rag collector, the judge proclaimed: “She is a rag collector and she doesn’t matter.”
Due to such perverse reasoning and a distorted sense of justice, many judges pass it off as an ‘act of passion’ and give a minimal sentence.
Furthermore, the legal battles are long and tedious. The responsibility for proving the violation rests with the victim.
o Fear of retaliation from the rapist or his bullies.
o Fear of adverse reactions from society, parents, husbands, employers or colleagues.
o Fear of tarnishing the family image, especially when there are single sisters.
One study showed that 43% of women ignore the law; 23% are too shy to introduce themselves; 12% are afraid of the police; 12% think that complaining will not make a difference.
One young woman said: “I blame society for giving men the right to rape and consider that the suffering of women is not important. A rapist can get a light sentence, but the victim’s sentence is for life.”
What is a rape?
It is a form of sexual sadism that involves illegal sexual penetration whether by coercion, force, blackmail or under false promises. “I believe that anything that violates the integrity of a woman’s body should be considered rape,” says Brinda Karat, a women’s activist. “Sexual violence, in addition to being dehumanizing, is an illegal intrusion of the right to privacy and sanctity of women,” says Judge AS Anand.
Situations in which a violation occurs:
– Rape in custody when a woman is detained for a misdemeanor.
– Child rape is the hobby of pedophiles. 1 in 5 children raped is under 15 years of age. Some don’t even respect babies in cribs.
– Casting capes are a routine in the film or modeling industry. When a person is desperate for a job, they become vulnerable.
– Date rape has been on the rise. The offender is generally known to the victim and drugs the victim with GHB, Rophynol, Ketamine, or some similar drug. These medications are in powder or liquid form and dissolve in any beverage. These drugs leave the victim physically defenseless and unable to resist sex, and also unable to recall the incident. Alcohol enhances the action of drugs. No traces are found in the bloodstream after 72 hours.
– Aggravated rape is when a rapist introduces an instrument or foreign body into the victim, to build his own orgasm.
– Marital rape that may not be recognized by law.
“In marriage, the weakest, most stupid, and insignificant men in the world are licensed to rape or beat their wives,” says Virginia Woolfe.
– Necrophilia: Rape of corpses is common in certain tribes. Sometimes sexual perverts can enjoy such activity too.
Reasons why men rape?
– It gives men a sense of power and is linked to their identity. Forcing a woman to submit sexually validates her manhood. They enjoy it.
– Lust in men who have not disciplined their impulses. Testosterone causes male libido to spiral out of control.
– Economic causes: in some communities the price of the bride may be too high. Poverty, low socioeconomic status, unemployment, lack of skills make men vent their frustration through rape. The victim and the rapist can live in the same area. Girls in city centers have a 1 in 70 chance of being raped, while in wealthy areas it may be 1 in 2000.
– In communities with strict codes of conduct, where mixing of the sexes is not allowed, repressed men give expression to their masculinity through rape.
– Antisocial and borderline personalities behave irresponsibly. This is reinforced by drugs and alcohol.
– Misogyny: Men who hate women commit violent crimes against them. Many have aggressive mothers and shy fathers. Verbal abuse from a mother may have given the man a bad image of himself. As an expression of anger against the mother or sisters, he finds a victim who cannot defend himself or is mentally retarded and rapes her.
– Men with low self-esteem are convinced that no woman would willingly sleep with them. They turn on sexual fantasies and express themselves through rape.
– Revenge: When men are rejected or ignored, they feel insulted enough to use rape as a form of revenge.
– Increasing feminism: women are destroying all male strongholds. They are becoming financially independent and progressively mobile. Male attacks are happening like never before. Assisted reproductive technology and genetic engineering make some men feel purposeless and powerless. As a result, they resort to rape.
– The sex and pornography industry encourages men to treat women as commodities and to humiliate them for their pleasure.
“Rape is nothing less than a conscious process of intimidation whereby all men keep all women in a state of fear,” says Susan Brown Miller.
– Men have blamed women for flaunting their feminine attributes through indecent exposure, scant costumes, and suggestive behavior. This, they say, precipitates lust in men. Women refute this because rape occurs in small towns or villages where women dress modestly.
– Rape in war is sanctioned by the highest authorities as a means of demoralizing the social fabric of a nation, by making its women pregnant. It is also supposed to alleviate aggression and promote bonding between soldiers.
Effects of the rape on the victim:
Rape-trauma syndrome is similar to post-traumatic stress disorder. It has two stages. The first is disorganization due to the impact of the violation. Fear, anger, guilt, and shame may follow. The reorganization is the second stage that takes place gradually over a period of 3-4 months. Sometimes it can take much longer. The victim feels vulnerable, shy and does not have full control of his life. Residual damage is what the violation leaves in its wake. Depression, sexual dysfunction, vaginismus, fear of sexual interaction, and the inability to adapt socially are common. The person may use alcohol or drugs to combat fear and depression. A rape survivor is nine times more likely to commit suicide. But if the victim receives immediate support and can vent their pain, fear, or anger, the chances of recovery are greater.
Solutions to minimize rape in society:
o Educating the public by increasing awareness of rape in society through education and awareness programs. Men, politicians, the police, the judiciary and the general public must be sensitized about violence against women. New knowledge about sex roles is needed. Stereotypical gender roles only make men more aggressive and women more vulnerable.
o Girls’ education: strong parental support will give girls a sense of security and belonging. They will have the confidence to express their fears and anxieties. Parents should encourage their children to report incidents such as physical proximity, inappropriate touching even if it is the father, brother or relatives. Girls need to be aware of the dangers lurking in society. 60% of teens tend to act brave and impulsive.
Women should also know the laws against rape and sexual abuse. Male judges are too soft on rapists and too harsh on victims. Due to such injustice, the law has been discredited. Trials must have a time limit and prompt punishment. Rape Crisis Centers should provide counseling and support to rape victims.
o Girls’ education should include dos and don’ts. They should be told never to leave a stranger within arm’s reach and never accept candy or toys from strangers; never take a stranger to an isolated place you want to visit; beware of excessive kindness. Children from unhappy homes are easy targets, as they are hungry for affection. Even van drivers transporting children between school and home can take advantage of the presence of a child friend. Teens can be attracted to people who promise roles in movies or models. If attacked, the child should be told to throw himself on the ground and scream for help.
o Parental education: The lines of communication between them and their children should always be free of tension. Many parents think that children are too young to be told about the rape as it will scare them unduly. Children should be aware that there are a small number of evil people in society.
Parents should also be alerted to sudden withdrawal, loss of appetite, nightmares, or refusal to go to school and investigate the matter.
Parents should check the sites children visit on the Internet and the kinds of books they read.
A child who is aware of the dangers is more likely to drive away a rapist. Surveillance is the solution.
