IS REVEALING CLOTHES BEHIND INCREASE IN SEXUAL CRIMES

Among 35 megacities, Delhi reported 23.8 %( 404 out of 1,696) of total rape cases in 2009. This means one in every four rapes occurred in the national capital, according to the NCRB figures.

 But what exactly is the reason behind the increasing number of rape and molestation cases.

According to a common notion, girls and women provoke males to rape and molest them by wearing provocative clothes. Also Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and Andhra Pradesh DGP had said that the “revealing and provocative dresses of women” was a reason for the increase in rape cases in Delhi.

Against this remark Shweta Patra, an MNC employee says,” Rape is rarely a manifestation of erectile malfunction as some try to put it. In most cases rape   is a way of teaching one or two lesson to a woman. Since most visible way of a woman’s non conformance with prevalent social norm is her choice of clothes, they blame it on clothing. That is the reason, women working in MNC’s choose to wear sari even in office, when in-laws comes to home-stay, or else they will be the butt of non-stop sarcasm at home. If women skin visibility was the sole reason, then why sari over any dress? Sari reveals much more skin after all.”

The empowerment of choice and spirit of liberty gets on to the nerve of people like Mr. DGP, who believes it is little too much of women liberty thing and they need a lesson, either by sermon, or a rape.   “Provocative clothing is a reason for increasing number of rapes”, seems to be the common opinion of many people, which off course is terribly wrong.

Many interviews with rapists (convicted ones in jails and in police interrogations) and interviews with psychologists tells very reasonably and logically that a rape is not committed on the spur of the moment because of sexual arousal in a man, however uncontrollable, it may seemingly overwhelming to the perpetrator (rapist).

The victim simply appealed to a rapist, which even a rapist may not be able to explain in exact words, victim need not show much of her skin or soft areas or by so called “provocative dressing”.

Harsh who is an IT professional says,” In western countries, the women dress more provocatively compared to India. In USA, during summertime, I have seen girls and women coming out in short skirts and knickers. But they are much safer than the Indian women. There is something seriously wrong with our men, culture or policing (may be, all) to have such a situation.”

According to NCRB figures there were 95 victims in the age group of 14-18 years, 56 among the age group of 10-14 years and 24 among those aged below 10 years. So, were these victims among the age group 10-14 and below 10 years wearing provocative clothes? Or were provoking anyone to rape them?

“Be it a western dress or Salwar suit, girls are being molested and raped irrespective of that. What about aged women or little girls? They can’t be blamed for being provocative.” says Neha Sethi, a student.

We have to broaden our minds to fight these dreaded crimes against women and girls. It is certainly not their fault and we should not force blames upon them rather than eliminating these crimes.