India's Solution to Sexual Violence: Ground Women, Not Men
India responds to sexual violence by restricting women's access to parks and colleges, as activists suggest the radical idea of holding men accountable instead.
In the latest episode of "Things That Should Not Still Be Happening in 2024," India has once again responded to sexual violence by making life harder for women. Activists, meanwhile, are politely suggesting that maybe - just maybe - the solution isn't controlling women but confronting men's behaviour. Radical, we know.
As an Indian woman writing in The Guardian, the author describes a life oscillating between anxiety and anger. The anxiety is the mental maths: what am I wearing, where am I going, how will I get there, and will any of this stop a predator? The anger is at the sheer absurdity of it all - and at the daily flood of sexual violence stories. She is, unsurprisingly, not alone.
Last week, two incidents captured national attention. First, a viral video showed a group of men accused of harassing and molesting two teenagers at night in Bihar's Jamui. Then, a 17-year-old girl out with a friend in Delhi was allegedly gang-raped in a park by men posing as police. Because nothing says "protect and serve" like impersonating law enforcement to commit atrocity.
In the aftermath, women in Bihar told Outlook that the Jamui incident has led to greater controls and pressure on them - because clearly, the problem is women existing in public. In Delhi, authorities curbed access to public parks, and Lady Shri Ram College (LSR) briefly moved classes online. Nothing says "we take this seriously" like punishing women for the crimes of men.
Activists are demanding a shift from controlling women to confronting men's behaviour. It's a novel concept: instead of telling women to stay home, tell men not to rape. But sure, let's keep locking up the parks.
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