Comedian Agrima Joshua Receiving Threats Proves Yet Again To Silence A Woman, Threaten To Rape Her

Recently comedian Agrima Joshua was given rape threats for her stand-up video. Why are women still threatened when people disagree with their views?

Standup comedian Agrima Joshua is receiving rape and death threats after her standup comedy video went viral. People are alleging that the in the video which was released in 2019 Agrima is insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

I ve instructed CP Mumbai and IG Cyber to take legal action expeditiously ..I urge everyone to maintain calm and law will take its course. https://t.co/laFCARvKUC

— ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) July 11, 2020

According to a report published in The Quint, Agrima’s jokes have upset the many people including political leaders. 

Rape Threats

An Instagram influencer and YouTuber Shubham Mishra, who holds a good follower base posted a video using foul language and issuing rape threats against Joshua.

Dear @NCWIndia does this concern you, we see this scumbag give open threats to a female comedian who has already apologised & taken her objectionable video down… pic.twitter.com/c7OiHf0yUl

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— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) July 11, 2020

Owing to this Joshua had to issue a public apology for her joke.

https://twitter.com/Agrimonious/status/1281948379795214336

The entire comedy community has stood up in support of Joshua. Comedians like Kunal Kamra, Kusha Kapila and Sumukhi Suresh have spoken up for Joshua.  Even NCW asked the arrest of Shubham Mishra.

Although Shubham Mishra has been arrested, the mere act of threatening someone with rape is a criminal offence. Why is it so easy for self-righteous men to commit such a crime without any fear? 

Vadodara City Police took suo moto action in respect of an abusive, threatening video which was uploaded and shared on Social media by Shubham Mishra.

We have detained him and initiated legal process for registration of FIR against him under relevent section of IPC and IT act. pic.twitter.com/XM6J8y4nDx

— Vadodara City Police (@Vadcitypolice) July 12, 2020

Why is it so easy to issue rape threats?

We need to understand that Shubham Mishra is not the only person who issued rape threats to the comedian. Several videos with hundreds of views have emerged online where men have made disgusting comments about Joshua.

It’s just very easy for the so-called guardians of culture to issue rape threats to women who they don’t agree with them. No matter how much you disagree with a person’s opinions you don’t have a right to threaten them. 

This trend of scaring someone is disturbing not only to freedom of speech but also to the matter of women security.

Why is it so easy for self-righteous men to sanction rape threats? Rape is a heinous crime. And to use it to threaten someone when you don’t agree with them just shows the deep rooted patriarchy in our society. One that believes that to silence a woman, you rape her. 

A country where a rape is reported every 15 minutes, using rape threats questions whether or not we respect women in our society!

Rape – the ideal punishment for women?

Rape is seen is the punishment for a woman if she does anything that the ‘mass’ doesn’t agree with. Women, and what they wear, are still being held responsible for rape. Rape is still considered a suitable ‘punishment’ for women who step out of line. And making rape threats to strangers in public both offline or online is quite normal.

Since ancient times rape is considered as a way to discipline the ‘weaker sex.’ Our society has a history of treating women like commodities. Right from the Mahabharata where Duryodhan used ‘cheerharan’ to take revenge on Draupadi to online rape threats today, rape culture is embedded into our mindset. 

Interestingly, in the age of social media and the internet, things have worsened further. Making lewd remarks and leaving vulgar comments and messages for women, has become very common. 

Can anything be done?

On a platform level to curb cyberbullying, social media platforms can take proactive measures and zero-tolerance against online sexual harassment and abuse. Accounts doing so should be completely taken down.

Platforms should work to make the internet a safe space, representative of equality and opportunity, and not one filled with sexual predators. One where women feel unsafe even looking at their screens.

Secondly, real-life actions and arrests should be hassle-free. Finally, a mindset change has to be bought. It’s high time we teach our boys to respect women rather than try to rattle them. This incident not only questions that freedom of expression but also makes on think how for everything a woman only needs to apologise.

From her clothes to her opinion a woman only needs to apologise of some self-righteous men don’t agree with her. In fact on one hand where a woman apologises the man who issues rape threats is let free until severe outrage happens. 

Picture credits: YouTube

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