Political Diary
New
Delhi, 1 May 2018
Woman = Stigma
ARE WE GIRLS OR PLAY
THINGS?
By Poonam I Kaushish
What
is moral? And what constitutes morality? Do one’s morals end where another’s
nose begins? Sizzling questions which strips our probity to the bare bone
exposing a potent cocktail of raw naked sexual exploitation and power of the
Ugly Vile Indian Male!
Else,
how could we allow male predicators in positions of command and authority who
seek sexual favours, politely called the ‘casting couch,’ in exchange for a role, job or career advancement from females to get away with
it. Sic.
All
hell broke loose when Bollywood dance choreographer Saroj Khan justified the
casting couch asserting, “At least the industry provides employment. After all,
it isn’t as if women are raped and abandoned. This has been going on since the
beginning of time. Someone or the other tries to take advantage of every other
girl. Even the Government (sic) does it.”
Thereby,
opening the floodgates of accusations. Fed up of being solicited, Telugu
actress Sri Reddy marched topless to Hyderabad’s Movie Artistes
Association offices last weekend. Another Tamil actress tweeted her unsavoury experience with a leading
TV channel programming head who had made suggestive comments, insinuating that
she’d have to give in to his demands if they were to continue the work
relationship.
Cooed
Congress ex MP Renuka Chowdhary, “Parliament too is not immune to the casting
couch, it happens all the time. It is time that India stood up and said “Me
Too.” Recall, last year the West was abuzz with the "Me Too" movement
by top film and TV actresses and models who squealed on how powerful movie
mughal Harvey Weinstein had sexually abused them over 30 years highlighting the
pervasive culture in Hollywood and institutional failures, with Governments and
corporations failing to responds to women’s concerns.
Breaking
the omerta code, all four bared the brutal truth around sexual harassment in
India. Be it films, advertising, corporate world, business or politics sexual favours
are rampant. Women complain of “couch” tactics to land a film, job, election
ticket or political office. Not only are they asked to show lot of skin but
visit ‘bosses’ and mai-baaps after work.
In the advertising world colleagues’ comment that women should wear things that
make them look luscious, some pinch while greeting you.
Exploitation
is the name of the game and Swamis too are past masters harbouring a fondness
for outright sexual exploitation of
hapless women followers who come to them seeking solace from husband, family
harassment or a child only to be blackmailed
later with their nude photos. Thankfully, three such notorious Babas, Asaram
Bapu, Guru Swami Nityanand’s and Ram
Rahim are behind bars.
Sadly,
in a culture where our male-dominated national
narrative conditions people to think of women as playthings to be enjoyed and
destroyed and where women have little or no cultural respect and are always
blamed, any wonder anger and indignation is kept behind
closed doors.
Raising
a moot point: Why are women viewed as sex objects? A plaything of males to
satisfy their libido and massage their egos?
Perhaps
it has something to do with our patriarchal lineage and misogynistic culture. A
culture that believes that women are second class citizens. Cooed a politician,
“The more skin women show it is like if there's gasoline, there will be fire.
If there's spilt sugar, ants will gravitate towards it for sure.” Disgusting,
to say the least.
More.
When it comes to the paarde-ke-piche-choli-ke-neeche
antics of our menfolk, most claim that given our traditionally open society sex
is a part of our heritage and needs to be guarded with all the vigour at their
command. How can you talk morals in the
land of Khajurao?
Not
a few women complain that they are viewed as sex objects and mince-meat for
male lust camouflaged as human animals. To rise professionally they need a
‘godfather’ who can make or break them. Comply or reconcile to battling it out
at every level.
Clearly,
in a society heavily loaded in favour of men, several women who face sexual
abuse at work stay quite in order to avoid further harassment and unwanted
attention. Or are hesitant to speak out fearing they will be dubbed ‘loose
charactered’ at best or ostracized at worst. Either which way the damage is
done.
For
those who enjoy the ruinous events now unfolding in the country, there is some
good news! The end of the tragedy is nowhere in sight. The bad news? It’s
simply a system’s failure! They collectively assert. Who failed the system? Not
the politician, bureaucrat or police. All point an accusing finger at each
other. Nevertheless, everyone is agreed that there is something rotten in the
State of Denmark! And we call ourselves
a civilised society!
Alas,
policies to deal with sexual harassment are either absent or weak. Till 1997,
India had no explicit laws against workplace sexual harassment. In 2013,
Parliament passed the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,
Prohibition and Redressal) Act. This was widely ignored and hardly implemented.
In
2015, when Union Minister Maneka Gandhi wanted to make it mandatory for
companies to disclose whether they have put in place a committee to inquire
into sexual harassment complaints of women employees, her request was turned
down by colleague Arun Jaitley. Unsurprisingly, surveys have found that sexual
harassment is widespread in Indian workplaces.
What
next? We need to ensure systematic education of children to make certain they
will respect women. Our learning process needs to emphasise the importance of
gender equality and eradicate the sick male mindset. A girl’s need for
employment, fair play, dress, time and place should not be made an excuse to
use her. Alongside, we need to change our approach to sexual harassment.
Another option is radical feminism to make a social impact.
Also,
sexually harassed women must speak up as it will make more people aware and
come out in support thereby help in taking collective action. If they continue
to suffer in silence, they only encourage men to continue their crime. Undoubtedly,
the right groundwork must be laid for women to work in a safe and secure work
environment and an orientation session for men and women on what constitutes
sexual harassment.
In
an milieu which has systematically obliterated morality and where incidents of
moral turpitude pervade country-wide tough times call for tough action. Undeniably,
we need to cry a halt to women being playthings of voyeuristic men. Time is ripe
for a revolutionary change. The Constitution has given equal rights to women.
Merely mouthing platitudes of freedom will no longer work. By remaining silent
spectators we are only encouraging rowdyism and its practioners to get away.
The
strength of democracy and the quality of life enjoyed by the fairer sex is
largely determined by the ability of the people specially males to look at
women as equal partners with equal rights fighting for a rightful place in
society. Men need to change their moribund mindset and thinking.
Will women continue to constitute the weaker gender to be used and
discarded? Will the fair sex continue to
rot in silence at the hands of lecherous men? Will we break new ground and
unshackle women? A time to introspect --- Apradhikaran
akhir kab tak? ----- INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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