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Goa Rapes: Blaming The Victim Once More

By Linus Garg
First publised on 2021-07-31 12:44:32

About the Author

Sunil Garodia Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.

Victim blaming has once again reared its head after two minor girls were raped on a beach in Goa by four men posing as policemen. After the incident, no less a person than the chief minister of the state, Pramod Sawant, said that parents should introspect on why the young girls were out so late at night. Why this attitude persists? Although Sawant later retracted and said that he was misquoted, it is clear that the political class is not getting a drift of change in thinking in the society and is still clinging to the patriarchal way of thinking.

All over India, many people from diverse walks of life, and surprisingly including women, are showing that they are insensitive to the crime of rape and instead of blaming the men for being the instigators, choose to put the blame on girls for various reasons which include, but are not limited to, staying out late at night, keeping 'bad' company, wearing revealing dresses, drinking, smoking or indulging in other 'inappropriate' behavior. But does any of this gives a license to men to rape them?

All this emanates from the patriarchal view that women are the weaker sex and need a male 'protector', father or brother before marriage and husband after that. From this, it naturally follows that they should religiously adhere to the rules a male-dominated society sets for them. This section of society is not able to digest the independence which educated and employed girls are now enjoying. Hence it questions their choices or blames the victim when something happens to them.

But whatever the situation and whatever the circumstances, rape can never be condoned. Those using various lame excuses to blame girls and exonerate men are ensuring two things: one that girls continue to live in fear and two that men are embolden. These people have to realize that society has changed and girls must be accorded the same degree of freedom as boys. Hence, it is time boys are also questioned for their choices and actions and it is accepted that what is good and bad is so in equal measure for both boys and girls. 

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