Tuesday, March 10, 2015
How the West was stolen
A good summary article to highlight what American settlers did to the Natives. It didn't happen in the dark ages but after the European enlightenment period (after all, settlers were from the old continent). Atrocities conducted by "enlightened" settlers or even what American soldiers did during 20th-century wars are actively censored from traditional media so we may still falsely believe that we are the "civilized" world.
On top of that, as Dr. Saunt also says that the terminology is being changed now to effectively erase this history, by modern descendants of settlers now (Caucasian Americans) being called as "indigenous".
Now, these Natives are confined to reserves, with living standards, which are so far below a 3rd-world country's living standards that it's horrifying. Many reserves don't even have basic plumbing for running water & sanitation; forget the systems in place for education & jobs (that's why, Natives are far behind in education & employment in US & Canada).
North American NGOs pour millions of $$$ & actively work in Africa & Asia but ignore the abysmal conditions most of these Natives' reserves are in their own backyards. Why? because it makes far good PR from both NGOs & respective governments' perspectives to export the good deeds instead of help improve the living conditions of Natives.
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Between 1776 and 1887, white conquerors razed across 1.5 billion acres of occupied land, claiming it for their own. By 1800, Native Americans only accounted for 15% of the nation, compared to the settlers' 85. A survey taken in 1900 showed the Indians to make up just 0.5% of the US population.
It is a history that many claim to be ignored by the majority of non-indigenous Americans, who focus on the lives lost during the Civil War & European atrocities of the 19th century.
Dr Saunt explains the 'rapid & murderous' sweep by quoting California's first governor John Sutter:
'That a war of extermination will continue to be waged between races, until the Indian race becomes extinct, must be expected,' Sutter said in 1851.
In the 21st century, the canvas is being stretched for a change of perspective.
Now, more than 1% of Americans identify as indigenous - 'an increase,' Dr Saunt writes, 'that reflects not a substantive demographic shift but a newfound willingness & desire to identify as indigenous.'
He concludes: 'A history that glosses over the conquest of the continent is partial, in both senses of the word. It misleads people about the past & misinforms their debates about the present. In charting a course for the future, Americans would do well to put the dispossession of native peoples back on the map.'
On top of that, as Dr. Saunt also says that the terminology is being changed now to effectively erase this history, by modern descendants of settlers now (Caucasian Americans) being called as "indigenous".
Now, these Natives are confined to reserves, with living standards, which are so far below a 3rd-world country's living standards that it's horrifying. Many reserves don't even have basic plumbing for running water & sanitation; forget the systems in place for education & jobs (that's why, Natives are far behind in education & employment in US & Canada).
North American NGOs pour millions of $$$ & actively work in Africa & Asia but ignore the abysmal conditions most of these Natives' reserves are in their own backyards. Why? because it makes far good PR from both NGOs & respective governments' perspectives to export the good deeds instead of help improve the living conditions of Natives.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Between 1776 and 1887, white conquerors razed across 1.5 billion acres of occupied land, claiming it for their own. By 1800, Native Americans only accounted for 15% of the nation, compared to the settlers' 85. A survey taken in 1900 showed the Indians to make up just 0.5% of the US population.
It is a history that many claim to be ignored by the majority of non-indigenous Americans, who focus on the lives lost during the Civil War & European atrocities of the 19th century.
Dr Saunt explains the 'rapid & murderous' sweep by quoting California's first governor John Sutter:
'That a war of extermination will continue to be waged between races, until the Indian race becomes extinct, must be expected,' Sutter said in 1851.
In the 21st century, the canvas is being stretched for a change of perspective.
Now, more than 1% of Americans identify as indigenous - 'an increase,' Dr Saunt writes, 'that reflects not a substantive demographic shift but a newfound willingness & desire to identify as indigenous.'
He concludes: 'A history that glosses over the conquest of the continent is partial, in both senses of the word. It misleads people about the past & misinforms their debates about the present. In charting a course for the future, Americans would do well to put the dispossession of native peoples back on the map.'
Forced Marriages in Canada
A good article bringing this controversial issue into light. It doesn't only happen in Pakistan, India, other South Asia countries, & Africa, but also in Canada & US. It's also not necessarily prevalent in any one religious community but other communities, too.
Why do I say that this is a controversial issue?
"Forced marriage" needs to be defined. Many, especially in the West, consider "arranged marriage" as "forced marriage". That's the wrong label associated with arranged marriage.
If girls are getting married off by families, sometimes to such an old man, that any reasonable person would say that they will never have any understanding, or for some other reason the potential couple looks to be severely "mismatched" or if there are other issues with either both or one of the candidates, then it seems "forced". But usually -- from a Muslim & Pakistani perspective -- if parents are choosing a suitable suitor for their son or daughter, in terms of age, education, looks, family etc., then it's not forced, but an arranged marriage.
Candidates tell what they prefer to their parents & parents look for those criteria in matching them. Sort of like job searching process. Job candidates tell recruiters what they are looking for & recruiters try to match the candidates with the right jobs in the market.
Whereas, the West's or even modern world's (East & West) idea is everyone chooses a partner him/herself after falling in love. Well, we can see the effect of that in the West, where, as per some statistics, almost 50% people live alone (due to divorce or being single & not getting married in the first place).
The internet is now inundated with online matchmaking websites, catering to every societal niche & demographics, but AshleyMadison.com & Tinder are far more popular because "falling in love" phase phases out after honeymoon & the real faces of both partners is revealed after all that flirtatious & lustful period of dating has passed. Everyone is left to "mend their own garden", which in turn creates more isolation, depression, & feelings of loneliness & sadness for single people. Then they turn to online matchmaking sites where looks are all the rage or swear off all notions of marriage, & either go celibate or turn to Tinder (for casual relationships). Married people who apparently married for love are busy setting up dates on AshleyMadison.com.
Some of the real cases defined in the article do indeed seem cases of "forced marriage" but the article still blurs the line between "forced" & "arranged" marriage, never clearly defining the differences.
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It may seem strange, even impossible, that someone could be forced to marry against her will. But, like sexual assault—&, more recently, human trafficking—the curtain is being pulled back on what has been happening in Canada, & around the world, for centuries. In some nations, such as Norway, Belgium, Pakistan & the United Kingdom, forced marriage is a crime. Next year, Canada is expected to join that list when Bill S-7, which adds forced marriage to the Criminal Code, is approved.
The people, the vast majority of whom are women, came from a wide range of religious groups: 103 were Muslim, 12 Christian, 44 Hindu, 24 were unsure of their religious affiliation, & five had none. Almost half were Canadian citizens &, in most cases, family members were the perpetrators. People were taken out of Canada to get married in 57% of cases.
Forced marriage always involves pressure to wed against a person’s will, under physical or emotional duress, or without free & informed consent, according to definitions from international law & human rights groups. The main reason people submit to a marriage is because they do not want to disobey or disappoint family or church.
Very little data exist on forced marriage in Canada, but numerous court cases & anecdotal evidence suggest it’s been happening for more than a century, from coast to coast.
On Nov. 5, when Citizenship & Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced S-7, the “Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act,” he introduced a three-pronged piece of legislation to address the problem at home & abroad. Bill S-7 would ban people in polygamous & forced marriages from immigrating to Canada. The second piece will amend the Civil Marriage Act to make 16 the minimum age of marriage across the country.
It would also enshrine forced marriage in the Criminal Code. “Everyone who celebrates, aids or participates in a marriage rite or ceremony knowing that one of the persons being married is marrying against their will” would be guilty of a crime punishable by up to 5 years in prison.
Toronto’s Barbra Schlifer Clinic started a support program for forced-marriage victims in 2009, & the caseload has been increasing ever since. “I’ve had Irish clients who have experienced forced marriage; Roma clients, Saudi, South Asian, European & Christian clients. It’s pretty much across the board,” says Farrah Khan, who has been counselling victims since 2006. “We see different economic backgrounds, as well. We see it happening in communities that are isolated, in communities that have a fear about losing their connections to culture, to faith.” Rape must also be brought into discussions about forced marriage, because couples are expected to consummate the marriage.
For Mattoo, Canada already has robust laws that deal with abuse, & she feels victims are more in need of a place to live, counselling to deal with the psychological trauma, & help getting back on their feet after they leave their marriages &, sometimes, their family members.
That’s why SALCO & 13 other activist groups & social service agencies, including the Schlifer clinic & the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto, are opposed to Bill S-7. “The proposed legislation exposes the underlying racist agenda that this government harbours,” their statement reads, referring to the name of the bill & the fact that they feel it singles out non-Western communities where polygamy is accepted. Mattoo’s main criticism is that the new law allows the federal government to wash its hands of the problem. “I’m not saying that any criminal action should go unreported, but criminalizing will not help prevent it.”
Why do I say that this is a controversial issue?
"Forced marriage" needs to be defined. Many, especially in the West, consider "arranged marriage" as "forced marriage". That's the wrong label associated with arranged marriage.
If girls are getting married off by families, sometimes to such an old man, that any reasonable person would say that they will never have any understanding, or for some other reason the potential couple looks to be severely "mismatched" or if there are other issues with either both or one of the candidates, then it seems "forced". But usually -- from a Muslim & Pakistani perspective -- if parents are choosing a suitable suitor for their son or daughter, in terms of age, education, looks, family etc., then it's not forced, but an arranged marriage.
Candidates tell what they prefer to their parents & parents look for those criteria in matching them. Sort of like job searching process. Job candidates tell recruiters what they are looking for & recruiters try to match the candidates with the right jobs in the market.
Whereas, the West's or even modern world's (East & West) idea is everyone chooses a partner him/herself after falling in love. Well, we can see the effect of that in the West, where, as per some statistics, almost 50% people live alone (due to divorce or being single & not getting married in the first place).
The internet is now inundated with online matchmaking websites, catering to every societal niche & demographics, but AshleyMadison.com & Tinder are far more popular because "falling in love" phase phases out after honeymoon & the real faces of both partners is revealed after all that flirtatious & lustful period of dating has passed. Everyone is left to "mend their own garden", which in turn creates more isolation, depression, & feelings of loneliness & sadness for single people. Then they turn to online matchmaking sites where looks are all the rage or swear off all notions of marriage, & either go celibate or turn to Tinder (for casual relationships). Married people who apparently married for love are busy setting up dates on AshleyMadison.com.
Some of the real cases defined in the article do indeed seem cases of "forced marriage" but the article still blurs the line between "forced" & "arranged" marriage, never clearly defining the differences.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It may seem strange, even impossible, that someone could be forced to marry against her will. But, like sexual assault—&, more recently, human trafficking—the curtain is being pulled back on what has been happening in Canada, & around the world, for centuries. In some nations, such as Norway, Belgium, Pakistan & the United Kingdom, forced marriage is a crime. Next year, Canada is expected to join that list when Bill S-7, which adds forced marriage to the Criminal Code, is approved.
The people, the vast majority of whom are women, came from a wide range of religious groups: 103 were Muslim, 12 Christian, 44 Hindu, 24 were unsure of their religious affiliation, & five had none. Almost half were Canadian citizens &, in most cases, family members were the perpetrators. People were taken out of Canada to get married in 57% of cases.
Forced marriage always involves pressure to wed against a person’s will, under physical or emotional duress, or without free & informed consent, according to definitions from international law & human rights groups. The main reason people submit to a marriage is because they do not want to disobey or disappoint family or church.
Very little data exist on forced marriage in Canada, but numerous court cases & anecdotal evidence suggest it’s been happening for more than a century, from coast to coast.
On Nov. 5, when Citizenship & Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced S-7, the “Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act,” he introduced a three-pronged piece of legislation to address the problem at home & abroad. Bill S-7 would ban people in polygamous & forced marriages from immigrating to Canada. The second piece will amend the Civil Marriage Act to make 16 the minimum age of marriage across the country.
It would also enshrine forced marriage in the Criminal Code. “Everyone who celebrates, aids or participates in a marriage rite or ceremony knowing that one of the persons being married is marrying against their will” would be guilty of a crime punishable by up to 5 years in prison.
Toronto’s Barbra Schlifer Clinic started a support program for forced-marriage victims in 2009, & the caseload has been increasing ever since. “I’ve had Irish clients who have experienced forced marriage; Roma clients, Saudi, South Asian, European & Christian clients. It’s pretty much across the board,” says Farrah Khan, who has been counselling victims since 2006. “We see different economic backgrounds, as well. We see it happening in communities that are isolated, in communities that have a fear about losing their connections to culture, to faith.” Rape must also be brought into discussions about forced marriage, because couples are expected to consummate the marriage.
For Mattoo, Canada already has robust laws that deal with abuse, & she feels victims are more in need of a place to live, counselling to deal with the psychological trauma, & help getting back on their feet after they leave their marriages &, sometimes, their family members.
That’s why SALCO & 13 other activist groups & social service agencies, including the Schlifer clinic & the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto, are opposed to Bill S-7. “The proposed legislation exposes the underlying racist agenda that this government harbours,” their statement reads, referring to the name of the bill & the fact that they feel it singles out non-Western communities where polygamy is accepted. Mattoo’s main criticism is that the new law allows the federal government to wash its hands of the problem. “I’m not saying that any criminal action should go unreported, but criminalizing will not help prevent it.”
Sunday, March 8, 2015
International Women's Day 2015: something to be proud of?
So, International Women's Day (IWD) was on March 8th & a lot of rallies were taken out & lots of beautiful speeches were given around the world. If you didn't know already, IWD has been celebrated for over a century now:
1. Thanks to fashion show runways (e.g. Victoria's Secret), objectification of women's bodies is now perfectly fine in our “modern” society:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2891936/Oh-degrading-year-women-writes-SARAH-VINE.html
2. Thanks to silence of the media, sexual assaults & murders of almost 1,200 indigenous Natives women, in the past 30 years, in Canada, don’t even register on the government’s radar to do something about it (it is still just “talk” & more “discussion”):
http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/international-women-s-day-indigenous-women-still-not-equal-in-canada-1.2985100
3. Thanks to silence of the UN on the rape & human trafficking of women, even by its own peacekeepers (soldiers hailed from developed countries; US, Canada, Germany, France, UK, Netherlands etc), has not only silently condoned the abhorrent practice but has helped flourish it in almost 11 countries around the world:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Whistleblower
Is this what IWD has been celebrating for the past century? Is this what IWD has been working towards for the past century? Are these some of the many “accomplishments” to be proud of?
1. Thanks to fashion show runways (e.g. Victoria's Secret), objectification of women's bodies is now perfectly fine in our “modern” society:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2891936/Oh-degrading-year-women-writes-SARAH-VINE.html
2. Thanks to silence of the media, sexual assaults & murders of almost 1,200 indigenous Natives women, in the past 30 years, in Canada, don’t even register on the government’s radar to do something about it (it is still just “talk” & more “discussion”):
http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/international-women-s-day-indigenous-women-still-not-equal-in-canada-1.2985100
3. Thanks to silence of the UN on the rape & human trafficking of women, even by its own peacekeepers (soldiers hailed from developed countries; US, Canada, Germany, France, UK, Netherlands etc), has not only silently condoned the abhorrent practice but has helped flourish it in almost 11 countries around the world:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Whistleblower
Is this what IWD has been celebrating for the past century? Is this what IWD has been working towards for the past century? Are these some of the many “accomplishments” to be proud of?
Changing Indian men attitudes towards women is useless
This movie, "India's Daughter," is making big waves in the news especially due to International Women's Day. You must've came across several articles & blogs on this particular movie, world's reactions to it, & of course, reactions in India about this movie. Heck, you may have even watched it on YouTube.
Although, a lot can be written about women's rights in India, & in general, South Asia, & books after books have been written on it covering several aspects. Although, a little bit of digging around on google also unearths troves of stats about rape incidents in developed, Western countries; from the old continent to the New world, but for now, let's focus on India & this article.
Before, we get into the whole discussion of why India is having this problem of rape & how new strict laws punishing rape & sexual assaults against women won't do anything substantial in India, we need to agree on some biological facts:
1. Men & Women are aroused sexually in very different ways (assuming, both genders are of similar ages); men, just by looking at a women (depending on how much skin is being shown), & women need foreplay (not only in bed, but also being mentally prepared). Women don't get sexually aroused just by looking at a guy (otherwise, only buff guys would be getting girls & all other men would stay single). Of course, women also are aroused by sight, but it doesn't happen usually, & there are women who may have different standards. We are talking of facts as what usually happens, per the gender biology.
2. Sex is a very strong feeling. Everyone, irrespective of religion, ethnicity, race etc believe in having sexual relations (some twist it to the point of becoming delinquent, e.g. paedophiles).
Now, you may see a correlation in all of the news coming out of India about rape. Curiously, they are all done by men of a certain economic class; they are all poor. Rich men also assault women sexually, but not as frequently, & their news may get censored from public media, since they will throw money at the problem.
Problem with this movie, director's assertion, & MP, Anu Aga that Indian men don't respect women & the attitudes towards women need to be changed, is too simplistic. There are far too many other factors with this issue of sexual assaults. How do you change attitudes towards women when marketing sells everything (even ads of men's grooming products include a pretty woman in it), which essentially highlights the point that "sex sells".
Now, my firm belief is that regardless of whatever laws are enacted & enforced in India, against sexual assaults against women, they won't help curb the rate of sexual assaults. We may think they have but just because media is censoring that info does not mean it ain't happening (just like Western media censors a lot of info which will show the reality in the Western society).
Why do I think the laws won't help curb sexual assaults?
Because, the root problem is not being resolved with these laws.
Root problem: India is stuck between "Hollywood" & "Bollywood", i.e. India is stuck between 2 vastly different cultures (West & East):
You can't resolve something in your personal life or even professional life when you are of 2 or more minds. You need to choose 1 solution or path & go with that, & deal with its consequences later on, whatever they may be. When you have 2 vastly different options, then you can't do both, because you won't achieve anything.
So, how is India stuck between 2 vastly different cultures; West & East. Let's do a comparative analysis:
1. Movies, media, pop culture etc: In the West, all kinds of media, be it traditional or digital / social, is full of sexual images. Movies are full of sexual images, all the way to full frontal nudity & explicit sexual acts. TV shows are not leaving themselves behind in this race, either. Social media, like Facebook pages, Twitter, blogs, & of course, apps like Tinder & websites, match making websites to relationship-infidelity websites (AshleyMadison.com) are widely & easily available. Fashion shows from Milan to Paris to London to Dubai to New York are full of sexualized dresses, & how can we forget Victoria's Secret fashion show (one of the Daily Mail articles, from Dec 2014, also point to the fact that how women are objectified & sexualized through these shows), but, I digress.
Now, in the East (South Asia, in general), these movies & shows are becoming common. Everyone has access to Hollywood movies & shows (perhaps, explicit sexuality is censored but there are multiple ways to get around that ... thanks to piracy on internet). Bollywood & Lollywood (Pakistani) movies & shows don't show explicit sexuality but there's enough of softcore "porn" / sexuality in them already.
Now, as biological fact # 1 stated above, millions of men, especially since, we know already that South Asian demographic is heavily skewed towards young (& especially in India, towards men), are watching these sexual images in media, & are very sexually aroused.
2. Now, when there are sexually around men (& some women, too, but far more men), they have 2 options:
a. release that sexual energy through internet
b. release that sexual energy through a girl / woman (girlfriend or not).
So what are the problems with point a: to view a porn website, one needs a computer & the whole infrastructure (internet, modem etc). Many poor men / boys don't have access to personal computer & internet etc. So they frequently visit computer shops, where for a few rupees, they can watch the videos, & can rent out a small room for some privacy.
This, in turn, creates 2 more problems:
i). men get a skewed sense of sexual relationships. As we all know, porn usually shows submissive women & dominant men. Most of the times, even if the culture is not already macho (South Asia, South America, Africa, Eastern Europe), young boys & men will get the idea that man is supposed to be dominant & dominate the woman, whether in a committed relationship or not.
ii). these porn websites, Facebook pages, Twitter & blogs are suppliers of a demand created by these men. These men want more & more of these videos & pics. Many videos & pics are shared through cellphones & many times, are made of actual rape attacks, happening in cities & villages.
b. Problem with point b are multiple:
i). many men also eventually get tired of merely watching movies (point a) & start yearning for some real action (so they also move down to point b). Now, all these sexually-aroused men are looking for girls to satisfy their sexual hunger.
ii). Now, in the West, when men want some sexual action & if they are not already in a committed relationship, they go to any bar or dance club or strip club or even pick a prostitute off the street, for a quick hookup.
In South Asia, prostitution in brothels still happens, but those girls don't exactly look nearly as good as the girls portrayed in porn films or even in media (movies & TV shows). Also, they can be HIV-infected & those places are not exactly very cheap. These places are also not available everywhere. Those brothels, wherever they are available, are still pretty full to the point, where girls are trafficked heavily from the Northern areas (for their fair complexion) to the brothels of Delhi & Mumbai. That's a whole different issue which I am not going to get into here.
Good-looking girls, from the top echelons of South Asian society, also sell their bodies, but they cost around a year's or 2 years' worth of salary (anywhere from Rs. 50,000 to 200,000). So, those girls are exclusive to rich men.
Now, as far as bars or strip clubs or even dance clubs are concerned, legions of poor men can't visit good ones (because of price). Cheaper bars are, well, full of men & devoid of any women. Women who frequent dance clubs are usually more educated & Westernized, so obviously, they visit some high class dance clubs or bars & not any club on the street. Obviously, men there are also wealthy & educated (from the same economic class who can hire expensive escorts, too, as explained above).
So, what does a poor man got to do to release his sexual energy? Unlike, in the West, he can't just go to any bar or dance club or get a street hooker. He could get into a relationship where his girlfriend / wife will provide him sexual relief ... assuming he is willing to get married or be in a steady relationship.
iii). In the West, relationships are not usually based on education & wealth of both men & women. In South Asia, they are very much entrenched in the society. A man is asked about his wealth, income, & education, before a girl (or her family) even thinks / considers / get permission to have a relationship with him. Now, a poor man in South Asia will most likely can't get a good education (Doctor, MBA, CA, or an Engineer), so he will most likely don't have a great amount of wealth or monthly income. What can he do? Good education is not cheap & a good job, without a degree from a top university, is not available. So, even if he wants to get married or have a girlfriend, he can't get married or find a girlfriend.
iv). In the West, girls can have multiple pre-marital relationships before settling down with a guy. They can even have kids from their previous relationships. They can be frequently visiting dance clubs & bars. Several relationships start from hookups from bars & dance clubs.
Not so in South Asia. Girls who are Westernized (dress, education, pre-marital relations) are not considered as "wife-material". Apart from the problem explained in ii) above, it is entrenched in society that girls who will be good wives & mothers to our progeny are not found in dance clubs & bars (the rapist, Mukesh Singh, reflects this in the movie that good girls are not out of their house that late at night). This thinking is not merely entrenched in young men, but deeply entrenched in society by the elders of the society.
These are some of the many reasons why I think stricter laws won't help curb sexual assaults in India. Actually, it's only going to get worse, thanks to the illegal, but active, abortions of female fetuses. This action is going to increase the gender imbalance in India, to the point, where there will be far more sexually hungry men vying for a few women.
So what are the real solutions to this problem:
1. There are no quick fixes. Everything is long-term. First choose the society South Asia wants to emulate.
a. Be like the West & remove all those entrenched shackles of caste, economic class divisions, dowries, taboos against girls having pre-marital relationships, abortions of female fetuses, marriages based on education & wealth etc.
OR
b. Be like the East & insulate yourself from Hollywood. Stop even softcore "porn" in Bollywood movies. Strictly control the media (traditional & social). Of course, this is a much-harder exercise & perhaps, an exercise in futility, because the government will be labelled as backwards & dictatorial & the general public will still be able to seek out sexual websites.
So, merely changing attitudes of Indian men towards women not going to achieve anything. Heck, the West hasn't been able to achieve that in its own society. After all, porn is the best recession-proof business on the internet & it only give the skewed picture of a sexual relationship & gender roles in the society. If men in the West would've gotten refined up to now, then we wouldn't have movies like "The Whistleblower" showing UN soldiers from Canada, US, & Europe, actively engaged in sexually assaulting young Eastern European girls, without any fear of repercussions. They didn't get punished anyway.
My ultimate solution of stopping these sexual assaults is quite radical & religion-based, so obviously, most people around the world will not support it, & will keep trying some modern ways to fix the problem, even though, sexual assaults & women trafficking for sexual slavery are only on the rise, all over the world. Is this what "International Women's Day" celebrating?
Although, a lot can be written about women's rights in India, & in general, South Asia, & books after books have been written on it covering several aspects. Although, a little bit of digging around on google also unearths troves of stats about rape incidents in developed, Western countries; from the old continent to the New world, but for now, let's focus on India & this article.
Before, we get into the whole discussion of why India is having this problem of rape & how new strict laws punishing rape & sexual assaults against women won't do anything substantial in India, we need to agree on some biological facts:
1. Men & Women are aroused sexually in very different ways (assuming, both genders are of similar ages); men, just by looking at a women (depending on how much skin is being shown), & women need foreplay (not only in bed, but also being mentally prepared). Women don't get sexually aroused just by looking at a guy (otherwise, only buff guys would be getting girls & all other men would stay single). Of course, women also are aroused by sight, but it doesn't happen usually, & there are women who may have different standards. We are talking of facts as what usually happens, per the gender biology.
2. Sex is a very strong feeling. Everyone, irrespective of religion, ethnicity, race etc believe in having sexual relations (some twist it to the point of becoming delinquent, e.g. paedophiles).
Now, you may see a correlation in all of the news coming out of India about rape. Curiously, they are all done by men of a certain economic class; they are all poor. Rich men also assault women sexually, but not as frequently, & their news may get censored from public media, since they will throw money at the problem.
Problem with this movie, director's assertion, & MP, Anu Aga that Indian men don't respect women & the attitudes towards women need to be changed, is too simplistic. There are far too many other factors with this issue of sexual assaults. How do you change attitudes towards women when marketing sells everything (even ads of men's grooming products include a pretty woman in it), which essentially highlights the point that "sex sells".
Now, my firm belief is that regardless of whatever laws are enacted & enforced in India, against sexual assaults against women, they won't help curb the rate of sexual assaults. We may think they have but just because media is censoring that info does not mean it ain't happening (just like Western media censors a lot of info which will show the reality in the Western society).
Why do I think the laws won't help curb sexual assaults?
Because, the root problem is not being resolved with these laws.
Root problem: India is stuck between "Hollywood" & "Bollywood", i.e. India is stuck between 2 vastly different cultures (West & East):
You can't resolve something in your personal life or even professional life when you are of 2 or more minds. You need to choose 1 solution or path & go with that, & deal with its consequences later on, whatever they may be. When you have 2 vastly different options, then you can't do both, because you won't achieve anything.
So, how is India stuck between 2 vastly different cultures; West & East. Let's do a comparative analysis:
1. Movies, media, pop culture etc: In the West, all kinds of media, be it traditional or digital / social, is full of sexual images. Movies are full of sexual images, all the way to full frontal nudity & explicit sexual acts. TV shows are not leaving themselves behind in this race, either. Social media, like Facebook pages, Twitter, blogs, & of course, apps like Tinder & websites, match making websites to relationship-infidelity websites (AshleyMadison.com) are widely & easily available. Fashion shows from Milan to Paris to London to Dubai to New York are full of sexualized dresses, & how can we forget Victoria's Secret fashion show (one of the Daily Mail articles, from Dec 2014, also point to the fact that how women are objectified & sexualized through these shows), but, I digress.
Now, in the East (South Asia, in general), these movies & shows are becoming common. Everyone has access to Hollywood movies & shows (perhaps, explicit sexuality is censored but there are multiple ways to get around that ... thanks to piracy on internet). Bollywood & Lollywood (Pakistani) movies & shows don't show explicit sexuality but there's enough of softcore "porn" / sexuality in them already.
Now, as biological fact # 1 stated above, millions of men, especially since, we know already that South Asian demographic is heavily skewed towards young (& especially in India, towards men), are watching these sexual images in media, & are very sexually aroused.
2. Now, when there are sexually around men (& some women, too, but far more men), they have 2 options:
a. release that sexual energy through internet
b. release that sexual energy through a girl / woman (girlfriend or not).
So what are the problems with point a: to view a porn website, one needs a computer & the whole infrastructure (internet, modem etc). Many poor men / boys don't have access to personal computer & internet etc. So they frequently visit computer shops, where for a few rupees, they can watch the videos, & can rent out a small room for some privacy.
This, in turn, creates 2 more problems:
i). men get a skewed sense of sexual relationships. As we all know, porn usually shows submissive women & dominant men. Most of the times, even if the culture is not already macho (South Asia, South America, Africa, Eastern Europe), young boys & men will get the idea that man is supposed to be dominant & dominate the woman, whether in a committed relationship or not.
ii). these porn websites, Facebook pages, Twitter & blogs are suppliers of a demand created by these men. These men want more & more of these videos & pics. Many videos & pics are shared through cellphones & many times, are made of actual rape attacks, happening in cities & villages.
b. Problem with point b are multiple:
i). many men also eventually get tired of merely watching movies (point a) & start yearning for some real action (so they also move down to point b). Now, all these sexually-aroused men are looking for girls to satisfy their sexual hunger.
ii). Now, in the West, when men want some sexual action & if they are not already in a committed relationship, they go to any bar or dance club or strip club or even pick a prostitute off the street, for a quick hookup.
In South Asia, prostitution in brothels still happens, but those girls don't exactly look nearly as good as the girls portrayed in porn films or even in media (movies & TV shows). Also, they can be HIV-infected & those places are not exactly very cheap. These places are also not available everywhere. Those brothels, wherever they are available, are still pretty full to the point, where girls are trafficked heavily from the Northern areas (for their fair complexion) to the brothels of Delhi & Mumbai. That's a whole different issue which I am not going to get into here.
Good-looking girls, from the top echelons of South Asian society, also sell their bodies, but they cost around a year's or 2 years' worth of salary (anywhere from Rs. 50,000 to 200,000). So, those girls are exclusive to rich men.
Now, as far as bars or strip clubs or even dance clubs are concerned, legions of poor men can't visit good ones (because of price). Cheaper bars are, well, full of men & devoid of any women. Women who frequent dance clubs are usually more educated & Westernized, so obviously, they visit some high class dance clubs or bars & not any club on the street. Obviously, men there are also wealthy & educated (from the same economic class who can hire expensive escorts, too, as explained above).
So, what does a poor man got to do to release his sexual energy? Unlike, in the West, he can't just go to any bar or dance club or get a street hooker. He could get into a relationship where his girlfriend / wife will provide him sexual relief ... assuming he is willing to get married or be in a steady relationship.
iii). In the West, relationships are not usually based on education & wealth of both men & women. In South Asia, they are very much entrenched in the society. A man is asked about his wealth, income, & education, before a girl (or her family) even thinks / considers / get permission to have a relationship with him. Now, a poor man in South Asia will most likely can't get a good education (Doctor, MBA, CA, or an Engineer), so he will most likely don't have a great amount of wealth or monthly income. What can he do? Good education is not cheap & a good job, without a degree from a top university, is not available. So, even if he wants to get married or have a girlfriend, he can't get married or find a girlfriend.
iv). In the West, girls can have multiple pre-marital relationships before settling down with a guy. They can even have kids from their previous relationships. They can be frequently visiting dance clubs & bars. Several relationships start from hookups from bars & dance clubs.
Not so in South Asia. Girls who are Westernized (dress, education, pre-marital relations) are not considered as "wife-material". Apart from the problem explained in ii) above, it is entrenched in society that girls who will be good wives & mothers to our progeny are not found in dance clubs & bars (the rapist, Mukesh Singh, reflects this in the movie that good girls are not out of their house that late at night). This thinking is not merely entrenched in young men, but deeply entrenched in society by the elders of the society.
These are some of the many reasons why I think stricter laws won't help curb sexual assaults in India. Actually, it's only going to get worse, thanks to the illegal, but active, abortions of female fetuses. This action is going to increase the gender imbalance in India, to the point, where there will be far more sexually hungry men vying for a few women.
So what are the real solutions to this problem:
1. There are no quick fixes. Everything is long-term. First choose the society South Asia wants to emulate.
a. Be like the West & remove all those entrenched shackles of caste, economic class divisions, dowries, taboos against girls having pre-marital relationships, abortions of female fetuses, marriages based on education & wealth etc.
OR
b. Be like the East & insulate yourself from Hollywood. Stop even softcore "porn" in Bollywood movies. Strictly control the media (traditional & social). Of course, this is a much-harder exercise & perhaps, an exercise in futility, because the government will be labelled as backwards & dictatorial & the general public will still be able to seek out sexual websites.
So, merely changing attitudes of Indian men towards women not going to achieve anything. Heck, the West hasn't been able to achieve that in its own society. After all, porn is the best recession-proof business on the internet & it only give the skewed picture of a sexual relationship & gender roles in the society. If men in the West would've gotten refined up to now, then we wouldn't have movies like "The Whistleblower" showing UN soldiers from Canada, US, & Europe, actively engaged in sexually assaulting young Eastern European girls, without any fear of repercussions. They didn't get punished anyway.
My ultimate solution of stopping these sexual assaults is quite radical & religion-based, so obviously, most people around the world will not support it, & will keep trying some modern ways to fix the problem, even though, sexual assaults & women trafficking for sexual slavery are only on the rise, all over the world. Is this what "International Women's Day" celebrating?
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