SAFETY OF WOMEN
Being in the 21st century, with technology and world so advanced, we still talk about this subject, “Are Women Safe, in India, especially?” With surveys and understandings of what is happening around us, it is time that the country joins hands together to realize that – ‘Women are NOT SAFE in any means in India’. India is a patriarchial society. Females are forced to take care of family life. Women are entangled in many social taboos. In laws and other kith and kin create violence on women for the sake of petty things , like additional dowry, some gifts viz car, bike, flat etc. In India there is a tradition of worshipping many female goddesses. We give honour to the women forms of the society like mother, sister, daughter, wife.
In India an adage is spreading ‘Unity in diversity’. In ancient Indian era our ancestors gave priority for traditions. Dowry system, sexual violence, domestic violence, female foeticide, female infanticide , wife burning, sexual harassment at work place became common one in India.
Women safety has become a great concern. It is a burning topic in the present era. Women are honoured in the name of Goddess Lakshmi. Indian women are working in all fields like Aeronautics, space, politics, schools, sports and many more. Polygamy, polyandry are traditions and part of the African countries culture. In our epic Mahabaratha Draupadi was allowed to get married to five men(Pandavas).
Women are harassed not in the vicinity of darkness. In the broad day light some thugs are creating panic by pulling the Gold chains and throwing acid on the faces of damsels.
An incident occurred in Mumbai. A girl hailed from Machilipatnam was an employee of TCS. After the celebration of Christmas in 2015. She returned from her home town to Mumbai. She reached Mumbai at 3.37 AM. She stayed in Mumbai Railway station. A person approached her. He wore Vibhuthi, vermillion on his fore head. He started conversation with her and convinced her to accompany along with him in his car.With in few minutes his friends came and tossed sexual assault on her for more than 11 days and chopped off her organs into pieces. They threw away her flesh in the suburbs of Mumbai. It is a gruesome incident. It created flutter among the people.
CAUSES: Some causes for sexual harassment are consumption of alcohol and drugs in open area. Lack of adequate lighting, un safe public toilets, sidewalks, lack of effective police service. A good number of women lost faith in police attitude.
“An article appeared in Frontline Magazine about the atrocities of upper castes. Subash , a Shudra boy of twelve years, allegedly broke the glass shell of “Akhand Jyothi” on 28 May 1994 in Jaitsar, a village of Rajasthan. For not allowing him to be caught, Prakash kaur, his mother, was most inhumanly punished. She was stripped naked, dragged with her legs, tied around the durga temple and beaten with sticks all the time by upper caste men and one of them allegedly pushed hard a stick into her genitals. Then her head was tonsured, her face was blackened and she was paraded on a donkey in the market. Hot water and then Kerosene were poured down into her mouth; she could not survive the heinous torture and died.” This is only one of the incidents that often happen throughout India.
In the past we were mainly an agricultural country with the village as the unit of society. Since the last two world wars changed the outlook of life had its impact on India. Since then gradually, there has been rapid urbanization due to industrialization .The process of industrialization and urbanization changed the basic structure of our society. The migration of women from rural areas to urban centers also created social problems. Moreover, the pressures of urban living also affect the moral life of women, whether married or unmarried. They live in overcrowded and unattractive houses, the loss of privacy; boys and girls growing up in close vicinity and teasing each other have been important developments in urban centers.
STATISTICS: India is great democratic country. Statistics reveal that domestic violence becomes a daily routine one. National Family Health Survey, 2006 reveals that women are becoming victims in the hands of hubbies, in laws. Some women are committing suicides to un bear the torture. In 2012-14 periods 24,771 women lost their lives due to dowry harassment. In these three years throughout India 3.48 lakh domestic violence cases are registered. Within these three years (2012-2014) state wide dowry harassment cases recorded are as follows: West Bengal – 61,259 Cases, Rajasthan- 44,311 an Andhra Pradesh- 34,835.
In Modern Era, Technology plays a crucial role in the mindset of the people. A woman posted a suicide note in Face Book one day after Christmas on 26/12/2016. Her name was Sheremeyer hailed from New York, it run thus, “I have been slowly dying inside… I feel that the only thing I have to live for is this little guy asleep in my arms right now, John. He is the only reason why I haven’t blown my head off right now. Apparently addressing to her husband, Sheremeyer wrote in her post,” you will never see your son again. You don’t deserve to have a son, a legacy. Why should you have your name carried on? You are a nasty man.”
Family is an Institution. An institution can function effectively only if it follows the rule of continuity of change. The entry of a newlywed bride into the house of her husband is an important landmark in any family. She is the child of the present and represents continuity. The in-laws act as the link connecting the past to the present. They ensure continuity in a family. Both the bride and the in laws have to understand and love each other to allow an interrupted progress in the family.
India is based on values. Indian Culture is an amalgamation of various traditions. We celebrate every festival in our own manner. Modernity and Technology brought drastic change, but some community people are still entangled in the maladies. Men and women are equal in the creation of almighty. The difference is in the eye-sight. If we come across a damsel in the shopping mall, public places we ogle at them and create a problem. It lies in our thinking process. Change must come from within the heart in every individual. Join hands and save women
Means of Women Empowerment
Education: Without proper and adequate education, women cannot become empowered individuals. They need to be encouraged to go for higher studies so that they can contribute significantly in the creation of a knowledge society
Communication Skills: Without developing skills for effective communication, women cannot make their voices heard. It is essential for them to communicate effectively to become successful. As leaders, they need to put across their points to the people so that a family, team or company can be effectively managed.
Disposable Income: Women need to earn well to have their say in important financial decisions governing their lives. Being financially independent gives women power over lives and also contributes to the growth of businesses.
Power of Internet: Access to the internet has opened the floodgates of knowledge and awareness and increased social interaction reach and influence of women. The liberalising influence of the World Wide Web has broken all taboos, myths and misconceptions regarding women.
Conclusion: Women Empowerment helps to make the society and world a better place to live in and march forward on way to inclusive participation. It means increase happiness for the family and the organisations where women make a difference.