Tanvi Mahajan
Had there been a chance in God’s house, where He asks every being what he wants to be, a man or a woman. The notion of volunteering for being a woman would have been such a gory idea that it would have given chills down the spine to the contender. The case of Neha Narania’s suicide dated 30/03/2015 reported in your newspaper has jolted me hard. Primarily, because I am myself a woman, approximately of the same age as hers and finally because she was the face of the modern, convent educated, free thinking 21st century woman. From the proceedings of the case, the cause of the suicide came as a tight slap on the face of the pseudo society that seeks pride in being the advocate of woman rights. Again one more daughter murdered, yes murdered as a consequence of domestic violence.
The Year 2015 had been so far so good as far as women empowerment and emancipation is concerned. The Republic day celebrated on 26th January 2015 called for a harbinger of new era where woman has an equal part to play, the Nari Shakti theme is applauded far and wide. Each year we celebrate International Women’s day on March 8th with a determination to commemorate the achievements of women and to acknowledge the special status they deserve in society. The significant question is what difference has it made to the position of women?
Till date majority of Indian educated women suffer from crimes ranging from mental harassment, rape, molestation, domestic violence, forced prostitution, honor killings and the murders in the form of dowry deaths. The situation is dangerous than it might seem, a crime against a woman is committed every three minutes. In every eleven minutes one woman faces the torture in her marital relationship. Domestic violence constitutes to about 33.3% of the total crimes against women. One in every 2 women faces domestic violence in any of its forms_ physical, sexual, psychological and/or economic. 65% of Indian men believe women should tolerate violence in order to keep the family together, and women sometimes deserve to be beaten (National Crime Records Bureau, 2012). In India, 70% of women are victims of domestic violence. Actually the idea is very appalling, those who inflict rape or any other crime on a woman are moving about in open, and even if they are behind the bars they are least perturbed by the feeling of remorse or even guilt about the heinous crime they have committed but the one who is victimized is expected to be feeling shameful and repentant about it, this is the verdict of our male chauvinist society.
Even more heart wrenching is the fact that this is not just the situation of the lower realm of society that is poor and uneducated rather the highly educated and self reliant woman is also supposed to be inferior to her male counterpart. The mindset of the society actually nurtures this ideology. Even if a woman is a spectacular success in the career she has chosen, she is looked down upon with contempt if she is incompetent in the domestic chores. Before marriage she is taught to keep the respect of her father’s name and after marriage she bears the onus of her husband’s name. Nobody actually cares for who she is, all her life she is under the responsibility of not doing a certain thing as she is some body’s daughter or somebody’s wife, no one bothers about what she wants for just being herself. An unmarried woman in her early thirties, however successful, becomes the matter of suspicion for all the prying eyes, as if her marriage is the issue of much more importance than the issues of terrorism and poverty challenging this world. A woman in a marriage little more over an year is scrutinized for her child bearing capacity, mind it, it is a taboo to say that she doesn’t have a baby because of her individual choice. A childless woman is made to feel like a diseased and plagued body part, who better be amputated as her sole function to bear children is not sufficed. The so called educated woman is expected to bear the wrath of domestic violence just to wipe off the dust from the otherwise dilapidated marriage. And how can she walk away from the bad marriage, while a divorce aborts all the chances for a woman to live a respectful life in our society, it gives a freedom to a man to find his happiness somewhere else. Our society is too full of people who think too high of themselves, just because a woman made them to feel so by subjugating to their irrational commandments.
More recently the current heart throb of our nation Miss. Padukone came up with a bold yet pensive video wherein she represents a spirit of a woman who shun all the clichés, break all the stereotypes and embraces herself for who she is without being apologetic about it. The park street rape victim who desisted the idea of anonymous identity for having been inflicted with a rape is actually an example of unapologetic woman, who refuses to bow in front of the spineless patriarchal society. True, that over the years; a woman has made great strides in many areas with notable progress in reducing some gender gaps. But sadly enough the daughter who is held like a princess at her father’s place may not be treated like a queen at her husband’s house and in certain cases these daughters choose to bid good bye to the vicious cycle of life by enduring suicides. The situation would have been so much better if the parents instead of bestowing their daughters with all the mundane wealth at the time of marriage in the form of dowry, teach their girls not to succumb to a bad marriage or a criminal situation. It is the duty of every parent or a guardian to encourage their girls to really open their eyes and mind and stop chasing the people who make them feel worthless and treat them ordinary. She should be inspired to speak her mind fearlessly and not to be bothered about being judged by the petty retards for her choices like a late marriage, a younger spouse, a divorce, no child policy or the dress she wears. She should be taught to first justify her own self by keeping herself happy and just happy. And others’ happiness should always follow.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel