Protibaad Forum Newsletter
Protesting Violence Against Women
Vol. 1 • Issue 6 • October 2013
OPINIONS Sudhir Kakar, Social Psychologist: The velocity of Western civilisation has now become so great that we are losing sight of the core ideas of this civilisation that we need to assimilate, namely the unending search and respect for knowledge and the notion of universal human rights, which will help us to revitalise our own Indian civilisation. Instead, we seem to be in thrall of the perversions and distortions of Western civilisation. The idea of full equality of women and their social emancipation, especially in the erotic sphere, is to be welcomed and advanced with all the strength at our command. But by putting this idea into practice through clumsy and feeble imitation of Western mores of fashion, beauty and sexual conduct only diminishes the power and desirability of the idea, makes it appear superfluous, cheap and ludicrous. Another perversion is the widespread propagation of the idea of the body as a field of entertainment by the media, entertainment and advertising industries. The traditional Indian idea of the body as a temple that must never be desecrated only provokes pitying glances, if not sniggers, at those courageous enough to still uphold this ideal. Under the onslaught of Western superficiality, not its serious underpinnings, we are reverting to a primitive barbarism that is making us deviate from our traditional moral compass without replacing it.
skimpy clothing. Also penalize actors in the criminal justice system for the opposite, i.e. discriminatory behaviour. So when a policeman or woman, a prosecutor or a judge is recruited, their attitudes need to be part of the interview. Equality training in various spheres should be included in schools what kind of citizens are we looking to produce? Showing children early on that people of other gender, other castes, and religions are equal needs to be central to our education system. We've been thinking of the Dalit boy sitting in corner of classroom, who sees a cartoon that's discriminatory. Think also of the girl who only sees Maharani Laxmibai and Sarojini Naidu in her history books. Teach women they are equal, and they are more likely to be treated that way. We need self-defence classes in school for
Every TWO minutes our nation is shamed by a case of VIOLACEA AGAINST WOMEN
Karuna Nundy, Advocate, Supreme Court: The conviction of these rapists is clearly not enough, sexual violence runs deep in Delhi and unless we deal with the source, it'll continue to pour forth. Here are some changes I'd like to see. Attitudes to women and recognition of their full range of rights should be linked to recruitment, promotion. The system should recognize and reward good police officer, a good magistrate, a good prosecutor by their attitudes to Dalit women, to lesbians, to sexually active women wearing
COUNTRY NEEDS SOLUTION : TIME BOUND TRIAL REPEATED CRIMES - NO PUNISHMENT 1