By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net
Hyderabad: The brutal gang rape of 23 year old Delhi medical student has shaken the conscience of the nation. Fighting bravely for past 15 days the victim ‘Amanat’ succumbed to her injuries and died in a hospital in Singapore after waking up the sleeping nation.
TCN spoke to Ms.Kaneez Fatima who is joint secretary at Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee. To know how she comprehends the incident and the events unfolded after it.
TCN: How do you perceive Delhi gang rape incident, and the nationwide protest which followed?
KF: It was a shameful incident and a crime in the most brutal form. But one should remember several incidents of this magnitude or even worse happens every day in India. Often carried out by Armed Forces of this nation in Kashmir in North Eastern states, and in the tribal belts with impunity under the protection of law. Many such incidents occur at higher percentage in rural India especially in villages, but often they don’t even get reported by the media or to the police.
This case acquired significance because it has occurred in the national capital. People should shrug off their double standards of protesting on rape cases. This case has generated a movement against the brutal crime of rape and should be taken to its logical conclusion.
Kaneez Fatima in her office. [TCN Photo]
TCN: What reason you see behind increase in the sexual crimes against women?
KF: There can’t be a single reason; it is difficult to generalize every rape case. After this incident a debate is taking place and people started commenting on different reasons like women dress code, as if women with traditional dresses aren’t getting raped. Rapes don’t occur because women are travelling at night, but it is expedited by the mentality of men.
Now this mentality and psychology of man regarding women just as an object of their lust is being created in their minds by emancipating social media. In movies women are depicted as “item girls”, and are presented as an object to satisfy the lust of a man. Even commercial advertisements to sell their brands portray women in vulgarity that hundreds of women are ready to fell for a guy, who is using products that is being advertised. Media should control its decency, and should play a positive role in changing the patriarch mentality of India.
TCN: What according to you can be done to control sexual violence against women?
KF: Protestors are echoing a demand of strict laws; some are chanting death penalty for the rapists. But people fail to understand that strict laws hardly control any crime. Strict laws cannot deter person who doesn’t have any regard or fear of law from committing a crime. First of all there have to be a total over haul in our judicial process, especially in regard to rape cases. So we can get some convictions, and so that rape victims don’t have to face the humiliation of the system.
There have to be process of reformation and awareness among the general public. Govt. on their side should take measures which ensure women are provided proper security and consciousness should be generated by the Govt. and the general public to counter the image of women generated by patriarch society as a product, item girl, or just a sexual object.