Looking WOMEN through prism of society: Human or Object?

Today I attended a funeral of old lady , Sabnam ( changed name). Her story filled me with mix of emotions i.e. anger for society, grief and shame for being a part of this inhuman society. Let me narrate her misery and horror-

Sabnam come in this world unwanted, her parental family tried to kill her many time in womb of her mother but, somehow her mother manage give her life. From the very childhood she faced discriminations for example she was forbidden to basic nutritional food and formal education and forced to do household works i.e. cleaning, collecting woods and cow dung..etc.

                             In her early age she was bullied and sexually exploited by her close one’s at that time she has no option but to suffer all that. She forced in marriage, as early as attaining puberty, with a With a rich Man ( who was working in gulf nations). He took her to gulf. Another surprise was waiting there for Sabnam, The man was already married and live there with her wife, he had hidden this truth from Sabnam. Knowing this Sabnam wanted to back but, she had no choice but to stay there as her passport was taken by her husband , Rahim(changed name). Rahim treated her like a slave, were he exploited her mentally, emotionally, physically (in form of forced labor), sexually (by treating her as a sex slave many a time Rahim forced Sabnam to sexually satisfy their friends as well). And the same suffering goes on till her death.

     This is not a story of Sabnam but the millions of women like her. Who came in the world just to suffer from, “WOMB TO TOMB”. And this is not a new face of society but was always there in history, in different form, in all religion, culture, place.

HISTORY OF DISCRIMATION AGAINST WOMENS;

Since the beginning of history, women have been considered to be the weaker sex. Such violence has even been depicted in our sacred texts, be it the Vastra Haran of Draupadi in Mahabharat or the kidnapping of Sita in Ramayana. Ever since law was first codified in smritis, it has not been favourable to women. Kautilya in his book Arthashastra has even said that the main responsibility of women is to give birth and satisfy husband. In major Islamic nations women are treated as inferior to man till recent they were no allowed to go out of house without man otherwise, she would be responsible of rape against her. In Roman empire women were treated as equal to slave. No voting right given them in early democratic world. Johar ( Rajput women jump into fire knowing defeat of there side in war) was the result of brutality (gang rape, sex slave) by Mangolian and subsequent Central Indian tribes. Devdasi system of Southern India is another example. Same misery continued in so called modern society…

Consistency OF DISCRIMINATION:

Perhaps it (rape) is the only crime in which the victim becomes the accused and, in reality, it is she who must prove her good reputation, her mental soundness, and her impeccable propriety. This is why many case went unreported. Still we have huge figure- as many as 2.5 million crimes against women have been reported in India over the last decade. This should be considered inhuman for any nation. Our country boasts of a culture that treats women like goddesses but at the same time there is a rape case every 29 minutes, a case of molestation every 15 minutes and a dowry death every 4 hours.

During my research I come across many horrific cases many of them are so brutal and inhuman that I can’t write here. I have some examples that I can write –

 The 1992 Ajmer rape case involved the serial gangrape and blackmailing of more than one hundred school and college-aged girls in Ajmer, Rajasthan. The perpetrators were a group of young men led by Farooq and Nafis Chishty, members of the influential Khadim family that oversaw the caretaking of the Ajmer Sharif Dargah. Over the course of multiple years, ending in 1992, victims were lured into a remote farmhouse or bungalow, where they were sexually assaulted by one or several of the men. Additionally, the perpetrators took nude or otherwise revealing photographs of their victims, which were used as blackmail to prevent the women from speaking out

The story of the scandal came to light with an article published by Dainik Navajyoti, a local newspaper, which detailed the events of the crimes, and featured some of the images taken by the rapists.

 STATEMENT BY NADIA MURAD in UNGA –on August 3, 2014, the militants of the Islamic State, attacked our areas and we found ourselves faced with a brutal genocide. These large groups of armed men of various nationalities in uniforms with weapons, had decided that the Yazidis were infidels and had to be eradicated. The Islamic State didn’t come to kill the women and girls, but to use us as spoils of war, as objects to be sold with little or to be gifted for free.

I was taken with some other 150 girls to Mosul, in a building in Mosul, there were thousands of Yazidi women of children and who previously captured by ISIL to be offered as gifts.

A militant approached me, he said they would take me, I was looking down, I was terrified, when I looked up, I saw a big man, he looked like a minister. I cried, I said I won’t want you, I told him you are too big for me, I am a little girl. Another militant walked in, I was still looking down, I saw his feet, he had small feet, I begged him to take me for himself, I was so scared from the big militant.

The one who took me asked me to convert, I did not, he then one day asked me for “marriage”, I told him I am sick, most of the captive women there had their menstrual period due to the fears. Then he one day forced me to dress for him and put make up, I did, and in that black night, he did it.

He forced me to serve his militant squad, he insulted me by forcing me to dress improperly. And I was unable to bear more rape and torture, I decided to escape, but I failed and I was captured by on the guards.That night, he beat me up, forced to undress, and put me in a room with 6 militants. They continued to commit crimes to my body until I became unconscious

 Situation gets worsen when protector too became predator- mass rape and torture of Rohingia muslims by Burmese army, during world war German Nazi army used captive women for satisfying their sexual desire. These stories are just a tip of ice berg, many horrors are inside the ocean.

        Rape is not the only type of violence against women there are many…as Women body seems a site of assertion for political agenda and power and women has always been pawn in power struggle.

Type of violence against women

Psychological-Telling her from childhood that her prime duty is to serve man in different forms.

Spiritual- She forced to follow cultural and religious believes of her husband.

 Family- her role is to fulfill everyone’s needs.

            Physical- torture, bondage labor..

  

To sum up, the conclusion is clear. Women has suffered throughout the history and continuing to go through. There can-not be a silver bullet to there’s problems but a bunch of, measures can be a way forward as suggested by Rashida Mnanjoo committee’s special report in United Nation-

Firstly, Our history is full of inequality as we can’t change historical inequality but, we can focus on women centric history.

Second, Cultural biasness need to deal with.

Third, Awareness and empowerment of women and teach responsibility to man.

Fourth, Avoid conflict like situation(war) as chaos give more chance of exploitation.

Fifth, Proactivity of Government for effective deterrence is required.

In the current world order gender equality is a dream , that I had last night-

Yesterday I had a dream of a world….

A world with equal women right, where has no plight;

A world with no gender base anger, where women can share pleasure;

A world with women education, where they can build there valuation;

A world with equality, where women is contributing in Nation’s prosperity.

I know this is merely a dream unless the humanity as a whole contribute to it. It is shameful for us that we learn nothing from nature Unlike us who forced the very existence of life(mother) in peril , Nature maintain peace, fragrance around the origin of life look at ovary of flowers and fruits.

                                                                PLEASE STOP TREATING WOMEN AS AN OBJECT. AND YOU WOMEN TOO WHY ARE YOU WAITING FOR OTHERS TO ACT FOR YOU, WAKE UP KNOW YOUR POTENTIAL IF women CAN CREATE SO she can  DESTROY as well.