Women are the victims of violence for the duration of the ages altogether societies, cultures, regions and non-secular communities of the planet. In India which claims to own the apostle of individuals and non-violence women bear the brunt of violence domestic yet as public, physical and in addition as emotional. Violence against women is linked to her status as subservient to patriarchal norms dominant within the society.
From the post-Vedic period, violence against women began to be practised. The doors of educational, economic, social, political and cultural opportunities were gradually closed for them. The birth of the son came to be the occasion to rejoice which of a woman of grief. Their personal freedom in respect of movement, dress, diet and marriage came to be dominated by men. Women also began to be enslaved. They were equated with cattle or commodities that would be sold and purchased. Various obligations, restrictions and regulations were imposed on them and different penalties and punishments were prescribed if a girl violated them. Thus violence against women came to possess a societal sanction.
As the time progressed several ills began to sneak up within the society. Coming to the widows, the widow’s right to life began to be denied and the practice of sati was introduced whose concept itself was illogical to be more specific. Wife beating got religious and social sanctions.
Violence against women further increased when young girls began to be forced to function in the devadasis within the temples. This also made prostitution a part of religious life. Girls began to be married off at a tender age and in certain communities, the newborn girls began to be killed by the fogeys themselves. Polygamy took strong roots within the society and compelled marriages began common.
Colonial India did see some legislations and education that momentarily brought a halt to violence against women but largely British displayed indifference to the status of girls. After Independence violence against women has only grown altogether its dimensions. The violence in the style of female feticide has taken a new turn with the progress of science and technology when illegal screening of fetuses became available at the doorstep. Most of the violence against women is expounded to and grows out of their position in society.
The woman is perceived as the weaker sex, addicted to men, and therefore, may be treated badly. Expected to pass through every whim of the person the smallest amount sign of resistance on a woman’s part invites the use of violence to create her compliance. If she is uneducated, unskilled and economically dependent a lady seldom has any choice but to in-tune all the atrocities heaped on her.
Apart from the force, women are victims of riots more often and more humiliating like gang rape etc. Rape isn’t just the act of an individual man against a lady but also a show of a patriarchal mindset.
It has become an instrument and weapon to forestall women from raising their voices against atrocities. In personal or family feuds or wars, rape has always been a variety of humiliating the adversary. The violence continues unabated but no social policy has been forthcoming. Legislations are there and recently more teeth are added to them but people seem to possess no fear of law.
Violence against women is aggregated by factors like caste, religion, community and sophistication. Caste wars lead to the rape or molestation of ladies. Religious fundamentalism imposes restrictions first on women and that they are those penalized for trying to interrupt out of blatantly unfair and unrealistic codes of behaviour.
Society must be sensitized to the actual fact that girls don’t seem to be meant to be treated as doormats or punching bags. The law enforcing machinery must be trained and made sensitive to the difficulty. Women must organize themselves in groups and lift a collective voice against a system that turns a blind eye towards if not actually condones violent acts against women.
United efforts can create an opinion and outcry against humiliations against women done by men in government or uniform can work as a deterrent. Women should bear in mind their rights and rise up to them. Women must help themselves and every other in the fight against violence. Attitudinal change is required right from the house to be able for girls to square with dignity in this world.
