Narrow mindset due to moral police
If you’ve noticed, there’s a pattern to the rapes taking place in the metros. The victims are not in a deserted spot or all by themselves. In fact, they are with a male friend or colleague. It happened in the Delhi gangrape case, in the case of Reuben Fernandes and Keenan Santos (the two were killed when they tried to speak up against a group of men for their female friends) and now, this photojournalist (who was also with a male colleague at the time of the incident). The men are first thrashed before they go for the girl. Somehow, these men — rapists and molesters — seem to believe that women who are with their male friends are easy and free-for-all. The city’s so-called moral police I think are largely responsible for this mindset.
Mumbai was always a very safe society — where a girl could walk hand-in-hand with a boy and not be judged for it. But the recent moral policing drives about no PDA (public display of affection), ban on dance bars, regulations on clothes etc has led the society at large to become narrow-minded and take these modern girls are “easy”. Right from our policemen to home minister — everybody is asking the women to behave. As a result of this, the boys, who accompany the girls face the danger of assault as well.
When it comes to bringing the culprits to book, law will take its own course. I don’t want to talk about fast-track courts. The courts and policemen will do their work at their pace. What we need to do is increase safety in the first place. This incident took place at 6 pm! In broad daylight when people were returning home from work. We need to stay more alert. If the police can guard beaches and borders, why not public places like these mills? Why didn’t we know that those mills are lying open? We need to do is be a lot more alert. Keep our eyes and ears open so we can smell danger before it’s too late.
Flavia Agnes is a legal scholar and social activist
(As told to Sushmita Murthy)
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