If Anything, Boys Need To Be Taught Sanskar
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.
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By Linus Garg
First publised on 2020-10-05 16:13:47
About the Author
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.
View all posts by this Author
The BJP MLA from Ballia in UP, Surendra Singh, has said that to stop rapes, parents must teach sanskars to their daughters. This is another disgusting and misogynist statement coming from a man who has made similar obnoxious statements in the past.
Our patriarchal society makes leaders mouth such biased statements with alarming regularity. Hence, after the Shakti Mills rape case, Mulayam Singh Yadav had said that "boys will be boys" and others have said that girls bring rape upon them by behaving indecently, staying out late, roaming around with boys and wearing dresses that expose their bodies.
Boys, they say will be boys. They cannot control their biological urge to have sex as their hormones get activated. Hence, they rape. So who should be taught sanskars? Who should be asked to control their urges? Do boys get the urge or do their hormones get activated even when they chance upon their sisters having a bath?
It is convoluted logic to put the blame of rape on girls when it is clear that the boys of most families are never taught the basic sanskar of treating the womenfolk with respect. They feel privileged when they see their mothers and sister being treated as second class citizens within the family. Since the womenfolk are never given even the basic freedom of choice (although things are changing but very slowly) and are dependent on the male members, the boys feel they are superior.
Rapes happen (among other reasons) because men feel it is their right to sleep with any woman they covet. Because they feel that women do not have the right to say no. Because they feel that in our society, women are second class citizens. Because they know that they will not be punished. If it is a question of sanskar, it can be safely said that most Indian girls are much sanskari than most boys.
Harsher punishment for the rapists is not the answer. The laws are stringent enough. Only the enforcement is missing. Quick investigation and quicker trial to ensure punishment within 6 months will be more effective in curbing rapes. If the administration goofs up like it did in Hathras, rapes will keep happening even with fully clad and sanskari girls.
