Rape – a four-letter word sufficient to shake anyone with a soul or maybe even a soulless person. Today, none of us are safe from rape. Toddlers, kids pre-teens, teens, adults, senior citizens – all of us are under threat. Inside the house or outside, inside cars, buses, trains, parks – nowhere is safe. It doesn’t even matter what your religion or caste is.
I only have a son – do I need to worry? Because who says boys are safe from being raped?
Those who disagree with me would be shocked if all rape cases were actually reported.
A rapist is a rapist, regardless of caste, gender, religion. A rape is horrific for men and women alike. ‘No’ should mean no in every case.
Even if the other person is your husband or wife, you have the right to say no. Marriage doesn’t give you a free license to have coercive sex with your partner. There are many male survivors of marital rape too. But men in Indian society are supposed to be strong, they are not supposed to be overpowered by their wives. Hence, male survivors of marital rape have difficulty coming out with their stories because our society often greets them with giggles, sarcasm and name-calling.
With efforts being made to make the laws more stringent, there needs to be a greater focus on making the raws gender neutral. A rapist should be punished in every case and the survivor should not feel scared to report what happened.
I respect women’s rights too and their right to live their life without fear. I hope that no one of any gender has to ever go through the trauma of rape. Till this becomes a reality, please protect your loved ones because no government is going to win an election by saving your loved one.