Suffer women, once to arrive at equality with you, and they will from that moment on become your superior. -Cato,
Women have been subject to violence and torture for centuries. This is not a new phenomenon. They have been victimized all through the ages in every society, regions and cultures irrespective of castes,communities, creeds and colours. It is not simply borne out of biology and social situations. It is deeply rooted in myths, legends and culture. It is really ironic in the particular case of India where the images of women are worshipped in various forms. In fact, there is dual concept of female in Hindu philosophy. On the one hand she is considered fertile, benevolent, bestower of prosperity, symbol of strength but on the other hand she is beaten,tortured, assaulted and victimized. She has to bear the brunt of violence domestic as well as public, physical as well as emotional and mental. In short, the value structure by presenting the dual characters of women seems to have been successful in creating a myth that Indian women possesses power which may not be visible in terms and this is not surprising since in patriachal culture women have lost the power of naming, of explaining anot defining for themselves the realities of their own experiences. The story of women’s harassment,torture and violence is very old dating back to ancient India when Manu laid down the Hindu Social Code. The laws insist that women must constantly worship her husband as a God even if he is not a man of good moral character. She should be kept as dependent to her husband, because by nature she is passionate and disloyal. She is the ideal woman who does not strive to break these bonds of control. The salvation and happiness of a woman revolve round her virtue and chastity as a daughter,a wife and a mother. In the Vedic period, women enjoyed relatively respectable position in the society. There are instances of women priestesses. Gradually the position of women began to deteriorate. Violence against them began rampant. They were deprived of society, political, educational,economic and cultural opportunities. Even their personal freedom was curtailed. They were expected to be meek and docile. They were treated as slave even pushed to prostitution. Their condition was very much like cattle. They were treated as commodities which could be bought and sold. Different kinds of restrictions, obligations and regulations were imposed on them. Strict punishment or penalties were prescribed for those who dared to violate them. In a way violence against women received some social sanctions. During the medieval age when Islam along with Hinduism spread in India, the incidence and violence increased manifold and form of violence changed and became more complex. The practice of purdah system became popular and it deprived women of freedom and opportunities needed for the development of their personality. Girls were married off at an early age and in certain communities the new born baby girls began to be killed by the parents themselves. Polygamy became rampant in society. Forced marriages of girls were common. The Ramcharitamanas mentions the condition of women as follows
Dhol Ganwar Shudra Pashu Nari Ye Sab Taran Ke Akhikari
It means that the drum, the uncultured, the untouchable, animals and women should be beaten. However, the situation almost remained unchanged during British regime. The British government was indifferent towards the atrocities on women. Though a few legislations like Sari Abolition Act were passed and enacted in the British rule yet the situation does not change. In the independent India, the position of women remained the same. The violence against women has only grown in all the dimmersions. Indeed a few more form of violence like female foeticide have developed. Dowry system has been rampant in Indian society for a long time. Despite anti dowry acts, the practice of dowry has been on rise and it’s severity which results in a great number of bride killings every year is on the increase as well. The atrocities on women in India have not reduced. Infact they has assumed an alarming proportion today. According to one estimate, there are about thirty specific forms of violence being committed against women from pre-natal stage to their death. These include foeticide,infanticide, insufficient supply of nutritious food,social and medical neglect, deprivation from educational opportunities, child marriage, sexual abuse of girl child,physical assault,forced marriages, rape,prostitution, wife-battering, bride burning, witch hunting etc. Of these wife beating is the most common form of violence. Reports of violence against women are frequent features of national dailies and news bulletin but the actions against it nothing. Most of these violence against women have their roots in their social position. A female foetus is destroyed due to the supposition that the girl child is unwanted because she is seen as social burden. This is to some extent borne out of the evil practice of dowry in Indian society. A wife is beaten as she is seen as property of their husband who treat them as they wish to. It is to some extent due to the fact that women is perceived as the “weaker” sex-weaker physically,mentally and emotionally -dependent on man,for her security and other things. Her low literacy and economic dependency add to her woes and a women of such lot of seldom has any choice but to bear all the atrocities meted out to her at the hand of her husband and in laws. Apart from domestic violence women are soft targets of public violence, frequently heaped on her at workplace, during travelling, often at the hands of her colleagues or boss etc. The violence is physical, psychological and emotional. Rape is the worst form of violence against women. It is often committed as a vengeance or an instrument to suppress the voice of women raised against injustice or malpractice done by the male dominated society. Sometimes it is a manifestation of psychological aberration. In personal or family feuds or in wars, rape of the women folk has always been for humiliating the adversary. The social activist who dared to create social awareness in Rajasthan against child marriage is the best example of it. Often women are met with physical violence as a threat. Atrocities against women are perceived to help in keeping women in a state of subjugation. Furthermore the situation becomes all the more complicated in case of multi faceted, multi culture and multi ethnic society. Violence seems to continue unabated due to lack of social action. Society appears to be inactive and insensitive in this regard. Though there are sufficient constitutional and legal provision yet due to lack of sincere implementation they shrink to the category of unkempt promises. These are not enough to counter the prevailing plight of women. The situation become all the more tragic when the very person in charge of providing security and protection to women assault themy and humiliate them.
Annonmous one 