Gender Violence Watch

Restrict sources instead of just launching protests against rape

The heinous rape and murder of a veterinarian down south has sparked protests all over the country. And it is quite justifiably so – such acts of lust should be nipped in the bud and the accused if convicted should be given the stringent of punishments. The brutality inflicted on the young doctor only expands the list of sexual assaults in the country but unfortunately, our job seems to be confined only to sharing condolences and anger on the social media.

Be it Delhi (Nirbhaya), Kathua or now the Telangana mayhem – these violent acts have raised condemnation all over but have we ever sat back and tried to decipher the reasons behind the growing incidence of perversion in the country? There could be many reasons attributed to the rising percentage of sexual assaults on women, but one of the key factors that have accentuated the number of such incidents is the easy accessibility of technology.  According to a report in Times of India, in 2016, out of the 3.38 lakh crimes against women, cases of rape formed 11.5 % of them which is startling.

Gone are those days when teenagers clandestinely watched porn videos available on cassettes – it’s 2019 now and technological innovation has porn clippings right on our mobiles. Forwards of sexual sessions of various types are rampant not only in India, but all over the world. Do we realise that this revolution in technology is actually having an adverse effect?

For a fourteen or fifteen something – Whatsapp has become part of his day-to-day life – and much before they attain adulthood – they are far more mature than their counterparts back in the ’80s or ‘90s. Their quest for knowledge is solved by the stroke of a finger and parents cannot exonerate themselves if young boys get ‘influenced’ by the advancement of technology and commit crimes.

But how does growth in technology cause such savagery? You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to answer the question. Rampant availability of XXX videos has a negative effect on the society – it is these videos that are adding to the woes and people with a concocted mindset are getting the kick and are desperate to satiate their sexual pleasure by hook or crook.

For a fourteen or fifteen something – Whatsapp has become part of his day-to-day life – and much before they attain adulthood – they are far more mature than their counterparts back in the ’80s or ‘90s. Their quest for knowledge is solved by the stroke of a finger and parents cannot exonerate themselves if young boys get ‘influenced’ by the advancement of technology and commit crimes.

If we look at the number of rape cases in India over the last two-three years – it is not restricted to the hinterland a majority of which is still devoid of internet facilities – there has been a growing incidence of rape in urban areas too. Doesn’t it answer the question? And talking about smaller cities and towns where the ‘benefits’ of technology have reached, rape seems to be omnipresent.

Having said that, it is the mindset that matters – a person with an innate proclivity towards uncanny sexual desires would be part of such odious crimes. With the alarming increase of sexual crimes women are subjected to, it is time to act and act with sincerity – many cases of rape are reported but there are several more which go unnoticed. Live Mint quotes a National Family Health Survey (NFHS) report that says 99% of rape cases in the country are not lodged. This has got a lot   to do with the fear of facing ostracisation.

Leaving the onus merely on technology for rape and murder would definitely incur retaliation, but if we look within, deep down we know how sex has become an easy commodity now. So reprehensible has been the impact of technology that even toddlers are not spared – incestuous assaults are also a common phenomenon.

Having said that, it is the mindset that matters – a person with an innate proclivity towards uncanny sexual desires would be part of such odious crimes. With the alarming increase of sexual crimes women are subjected to, it is time to act and act with sincerity – many cases of rape are reported but there are several more which go unnoticed. Live Mint quotes a National Family Health Survey (NFHS) report that says 99% of rape cases in the country are not lodged. This has got a lot   to do with the fear of facing ostracisation.

So, how do we deal with this malice? It’s simple, create awareness and amend laws to make capital punishment a must for convicts of rape and murder cases. Co-incidentally, the Delhi government has recommended rejection of the mercy plea of one of the persons sentenced to death in the Nirbhaya case. Face the gallows for your sins.

Similarly, parents do have the responsibility of ensuring that their wards reap the benefits of technology and do not go haywire. It cannot be as simple as that and reforming people with a tendency towards crime is no easy a task – but in our own way we can do our bit to bring justice to the victims and survivors and also stride towards curbing such a menace. Members of Parliament have asked for stringent punishments for rape convicts, it’s time to implement what is preached.  Blame it on anything – ultimately, it boils down to a concerted effort to tackle such crimes but identifying the sources is also imperative.

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