Are we figurative or liberating, in our protests ?

With all the public debates in India around sexual harassments on women, Government apathy to security of women and cultural overtones which are constraining women's freedom and choices, my general feeling has been a lot of empathy and trouble. As an urban educated male, I can understand, sense and see the pain and concern of my women colleagues and other women friends. The debate around "India's Daughter" was endless with almost the whole country divided in the lines of  "to-ban or to not-t0-ban".  Hopefully the new media helped the cause and nullified the Govt enforcement significantly.                         

Coming to the core of the topic that I want to bring up here, It confuses, concerns and disturbs me watching the aggressive opinions and videos, which touch a lot of surface area with no clear call-to-action.  As a country, we have come a long way from the times of Sati, Polygamy and many dated beliefs causing unfairness against women in general and Indian women in particular. In that context, we could claim to have come a long way and right way but this journey is neither done nor complete. The Debates and Law enhancements should continue to improve equal Opportunities, fair treatment for women in all strata, in our country.   


However, what disturbs me at one end is the "all-men-are-evil" types of attacks and other utopian belief that the whole country has to become utterly safe and policing needs to happen at every corner of the country. Given our population size, literacy rates, socio-economic parity, political will and age-old cultural beliefs, it is a tall order to assume that the whole country quickly becomes safe for women (not even for men, if you ask me). We have got to understand and acknowledge the need for caution and care and do the due diligence, as and when needed. While the specifics of what comes under care and caution depends on many factors, my point is about the need for care and caution and not assume doubtless safety. Care, caution and awareness to the safety of a place that we are heading to and time of the day are the need, not just for women but for everybody who cares for material, mental and physical safety. Like one of my learned friend said, you would never walk alone in Durban downtown, after dark, irrespective of your gender.

Second part of the problem is the process and approach of addressing the core problem. There is a huge temptation to make strong statements about choice and freedom than understanding and addressing the core problem. What I mean by this is, should the conversations be more focused on  understanding the types of abuse, segmenting and understanding the data and lead towards remedial actions and Laws.  I was recently reading an article in the Hindu, where the Chennai Police seems to made huge progress in bringing down the crime against women in the city. It was a multi-pronged strategy of making complaints easy for victims, expediting trials on such crimes etc.,. While some work would surely be happening on that front, a lot of symbolic and expressionist noise gets made. It is just two weeks back that there was huge rage about the documentary but neither the prime time TV nor any other forums seems to care to follow-up on crux of the issue. Be it final fate in the  Nirbhaya case, ill-use of Nirbhaya fund or reviewing the Crime against women in last 26 after that horrific incident in Delhi. Without these follow-ups, I just see the whole gaga as yet another TRP drama.

Lastly, IMO the need of hour is a societal change in the way each of us react and help victims of violence on our roads, inside homes and in the public places.  There was an awe-inspiring example of two women successfully responding to a situation on Bangalore roads, few weeks back. We need more of them and each of us mimicking them with compassion and empathy. This change which has an amazing ability to scale and make our homes, schools and the whole country relatively safer. It is hard for me to imagine that, we will have police in all of the above to stop an abuse, assault or worst-case a rape. 

While the interview and statements of the convict in Tihar Jail are utter nauseating and shameful, the placards saying "it is my body and my choice" are as insensible and non-pragmatic..