Pervasive culture of misogyny

Incidents of violence against women continue to make headlines with a conventional statement from the authorities primarily to contain the possible public outrage, and secondly to show accountability regarding the thin line between law and crime. But the concern lies in how the repeated assurances from authorities regarding swift criminal investigations, and justice, can instead be assurances about strengthened security and efforts driven towards prevention. While the law since the 2012 incident has been tightened, and further augmented through the introduction of sex offenders' registry attempts to paint an improving picture in the face of harsh reality evident before everyone's eyes. The fact, how these heinous crimes — rape of infants and children, mutilation on top of gang-rape, and gruesome murders — didn't spark the nation-wide public outrage as the Nirbhaya incident, shouldn't be the reason for them to be dealt with laxity. The list of incidents could go on with the society frowning over the horrendous state of affairs it is currently living in.

While there have been comments on how the victim is to be blamed and the social mindset of girls "inviting" the sexual advances through provocative clothes, it should well be understood that under no circumstance can those be ever entertained. However, the point that these are general comments coupled with hostile sexism stemming from the clutches of patriarchy, and thereby a base for widespread misogyny highlights the cultural attitude of the society. Lack of education means a lack of awareness, and to say the least, means no realisation of the reality of committing rape as misogyny in less developed areas still flourishes alongside patriarchy. Unemployment, drug addiction, and lack of deterrents practically rescind any hesitation to commit violence. It also means that laws aren't reaching everyone, or if they are then they aren't been taken seriously. If the former is the case then awareness is the solution, however, if the latter is the scenario then the heightened insensitivity is something to be really worried about. While education is the key to resolving the awareness issue and sensitising individuals, a reinvigorated intervention into the existing state of affairs by the police is of the essence since delayed FIRs and reluctance to act swiftly shouldn't be the case. We have a situation where the traditional mindset of the society filled with social stigmas is not only curbing women empowerment but providing a regressive front for it to shatter!