Wednesday, December 19, 2012


I could outrage. I could talk about appropriate punishment. I could scream my head off. But it is becoming harder and harder. One, because it seems to make absolutely no difference. And second, it only seems to make things worse. Please don't call me a feminist if I raise the issue of safety for women. Honestly, I want safety for everyone. But it is the women who seem to need it more, simply because some men just can't keep it in their pants. And if you have the gall to say it is the woman's fault, shame on you. Shame on you, for blaming the victim of such a horrid crime. Has it ever occurred to you that she could be a woman in your family? Just trying to make a living for her family? Trying to provide YOU with better food, her children with better education, her family a better lifestyle? Did you ever think of asking the scum why he did it? I'll be damned if he ever said, "because she was travelling by public transport after dark."

What would you like me to do? Not work? Wear nothing but Salwar Kameez? Stay locked in my house? Marry young? I couldn't believe my ears when I heard it. One man claims we should never have abolished child marriage. This never happened then, he says. Because all men got to keep their sexual appetites well fed. First off, bullshit. Complete fucking bullshit. You think women weren't raped in the time of child marriages? The only person you are convincing is yourself. So you think the answer to this is to get everyone married. Bravo. Bravo indeed. I recently read an account of a 62-year old woman who was raped and tortured. And the perpetrator of the crime had been married. Twice. Oops. Now what? 

Instead of blaming women and trying to put us all in shackles and cages, do the right thing. Punish them. I am not asking an eye for an eye. If that were the case, I'd be asking for a woman to rape and torture him in public. Maybe enjoy it. Tape it and make a viral video out of it. No, I want you to see to it that he never does it again. If that means you have to castrate him, do it. Uncomfortable? Sure, but doing the right thing always isn't supposed to be a joyride. I'm counting on you, India. I'm counting on you to step up.