It Is Time To Stop Using Violence Against Women As A Display Of Power!

Violence against women, often is nothing but a cruel display of power. Isn’t it time we took steps to change this?

All our respected politicians are missing the main element while addressing the rape cases.

Often women look up to people who have the power to amend laws, impact views or take charge of safety with hope in our eyes. The hope that they can do something about it. But is it wise to have such hope?

Violence against women is the pure form of power display. Power, by definition is the possession of control, authority, or influence over others.

I feel, rape is never about the class caste or religion or age or westernisation. It doesn’t matter if she is a Dalit or a Pandit, young or old. Or is she is rural or urban, Muslim or Hindu, rich or poor, married, unmarried or even if she’s in school.

Rape is about the display of power and those who have power, can misuse it or not, it is his purview. But who gave them this power and put them at the position of authority?

We have constantly been taught to believe that men are superior

Have you ever thought why is it considered beneath a boy, to act like a girl? And why is it considered good if a girl is a tomboy? The reason is that the teaching of our childhood has already made us believe that men are superior to women. 

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Don’t tell me you never made fun of a guy you saw who was walking or talking in a feminine way? I did it too when I was young and naïve because that is what society, my teachers, my mates told me.

Remember when girls and boys were not supposed to sit at the same bench in the school? How boys were supposed to behave like boys and girls were supposed to only behave like girls like we were divided?

We need to make changes from the grass root levels

We need to start from the grass-root level. It has to be a bottom-up approach. You can not put pressure from the top to correct the foundation.

Right from childhood, parents teach their kids that their choices need to be dependent on their genitals. They define the children’s roles at home, the toys they are given, their education and even in the food they eat!

We need to change that. Think more and talk more about the change! The more you discuss, the more you will follow. Start at your home, or building, and locality. Or even with your WhatsApp group filled with sexist jokes!

Every small step matters!

A version of this was first published here.

Picture credits: Still from Bollywood movie Gori Tere Pyaar Mein

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