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Ring the bell and pledge to stop the crime against women

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crime against women, Delhi, New Delhi, rape, ring the bell, violence against women

Violence against women is a crime not just against women but humanity as a whole. Whenever a woman is subjected to any kind of violence it just reiterates the fact that a woman is nothing more than a commodity that can be treated according to the whims and fancies of men – be it father, brother, boyfriend or a husband.

Even today in some families, when a daughter is born; father starts thinking about her future and mind you the future is not about her education, her childhood instead it is the thoughts of her marriage, dowry and the money that will be spent on her till she’s married and goes to HER HOME. Ironically, the home where she is born is never her HOME. All through her growing years she has to fight against prejudices and so called norms. Thankfully today few EDUCATED parents are recognising the worth of daughters and are encouraging them to study and are empowering them with one thing that will last them forever – good education.

But that’s a very few percentile as compared to the ever growing population of our country and even today in most of the families a woman is not supposed to have her own identity either before marriage or after marriage. She is known as her father’s daughter or her brother’s sister and after marriage she becomes Mrs XYZ but she is never known by her own name. Interestingly in some cases even her first name is changed after marriage – why? Because her original name is not favourable with her husband! Her choices, decisions and opinions are not valued and laughed off! She is treated no more than someone who is supposed to take care of the family.

True! Women have stepped out of homes, are working in MNCs and are commanding equal pay if not more than her male counterparts but still she is the one who has to come back home and do all the household work. There is no responsibility sharing. In most of the cases of violence or crime against the women, the person is not a stranger to her and in most cases she is hushed into silence for the fear of stigma that our society attaches to these incidents.

In the most recent Delhi Rape Case where Nirbhaya or the Braveheart was brutally gang-raped and injured, it was for the first time the entire country stood up and spoke against the increasing crime against women in the National Capital. However till date, these outcries have achieved nothing. I still feel uncomfortable and unsafe in the public places and transport, especially in the evenings. Though there is a CM initiated helpline for women and it’s a working one (thank god for little mercies), imagine a situation where a woman is being overpowered by a group of drunken men, will she even remember to dial the number for help? For all the talks of self-defence when she is in trouble –her first thought are to cheat those men and run, not attack them with different kicks!

My only request to all of you is that before you give your expert suggestions and advices just give this a thought – Do you think a five months old baby, a six-year old girl, a growing teenager, a pregnant woman or even a middle aged mother just a bait? JUST THINK!