GENDER VIOLENCE; Activism, State Instruments and Ground Truths

GENDER VIOLENCE: Activism, State Instruments & Ground Truths:

So much in News Cycles on Violence in India, Domestic Violence, Community anger, other forms spilling onto streets.Lately trending Videos have Women attacking men in Blue Collar Jobs. Lady slaps an Auto Rickshaw Driver, another pushes a Security Guard for unlocking gates albeit late. Does that momentarily Pause Women's jeopardy in the Gender Equation. We don’t fail the test of Tolerance - we operate almost always with class overtones-men & women both. Women face gorier forms of abuse, battery and are more defenceless despite,National Commissions, Helplines and Gender Projects. We even have a dedicated Ministry for the Women and Child. Nothing deters, because deep within a aggressor knows these Instruments can be dodged and the victim wont talk. Women are getting more reluctant to report sexual harassment. There is Statistics in plenty and is a running blame Game. 30% of Indian Women have faced sexual or physical violence. Women married to Indians abroad donot escape the brunt of physical abuse of partners and In-laws.      

       

BEYOND THE BLAME GAME:

Its not only slack of the state. Stubborn Social Factors are at Play, Patriarchal mindsets, preference for Boy Child, Illiteracy, Caste, Economic Class, even Terrain. In this backdrop - who does actually have well meaning Institutional disposition to care for the Victim. Are Social Agents, NGO`s & Non-Profits the Refuge or they chase ONLY the Trending the Viral, Media Savvy stories eyeing Donor Cash and some Publicity in bargain. Do Media Outlets from their CSR Funds and Local Politicians who draw juice against victims hand a single dime of Financial support from Party Coffers? Has any hapless Victim received more than Stripped Privacy? New incidents of Violence mean shelling of Administration and Police by Media & Non-and Profits,Politicians heckle one another other, life goes on. The lonely victim drags through the media glare, ends up a Trophy, even with loss of work/job.

 

REPORTING BLUES, METRO-INDIA, SMALL TOWN

Rape and Sexual abuse survivors in India submit to Family and Community coercion. Bullied to make "COMPROMISE, and uphold the "FAMILY NAME" and deflect "NEGATIVE PUBLICITY". A typical Indian family would invoke past family glory and caste above justice for a abused child. The Indian Social fabric, has many OUTSIDERS AND RELATIVES intruding inner sanctum of any family. A Distant "ELDER" would have as much gravitas at Home as much as Parents. Few Victims break free of such prompting. The Police Complaint can now happen.

    

Rural and Small Town India, especially in difficulty Terrain muzzles a victim a lot more,The third wall is Panchayat. Who assume a KANGAROO COURT, extra judicial kind of influence. They do not ease Pressure on Courts and Police they reinforce misogynous beliefs more strongly. Village chieftains try to mollify victim before a formal Police complaint. Be it Metro India, or Rural the Blame for Provoking Violence is on the Woman who are faulted for clothing and general conduct.

POLICING & INCORRECT FUNDING:

No surprise, Indian Police would deploy more Manpower and resource to search a stolen handbag of a Senior than investigate a rape. Nature of Bureaucracy and format are self serving, for the Constable its a job keeping them out of Rural poverty, they would like a happy boss. Structure of the Bureaucracy and Policing is so TOP heavy, INSULATED, only cases that find Seniors attention inch, others catch mould. Social activists and Media try lobby through Senior Officers for cases they intend to pursue. 

  

WHERE TO FUND POLICING:

First Information Report (FIR) is drafted by a Insensitive Constable, the entire case rests on it. FIR is the Foundation every step of the system will refer to, be it National Commissions or Judiciary. Rape victims undergo Humiliating Hospital tests, violation of Privacy, cold hearted-hard boiled Women Constables to prove rape. India needs funding to ease the Ground Complaints making Process. India needs funding to give respect to clinical investigations. Our funding is directed to Institutional Structures, Elaborate Buildings, oversized support staff in Offices, Publicity of Schemes and General Administration expenses. Video's of well turned out Constables seem to deliver a far greater Media Frenzy than remedying the Ground Complaints and Investigation comfort that every Victim deserves.              

Will budget committees allocate more for Reporting level comfort and ease, Constable Training, and respectable Clinical procedures or frills and power trappings of the Seniors, depends on who presides on these Excel Sheets 

  

INDIAN HOSTILITY TO ITS WEAK AND POOR:

Irrespective of Gender, Domestic Violence or rage on Streets deliver a lethal Class smite. Domestic Violence is almost always about finances, Dowry etc. An outdoor altercation ends up in sizing up Class and Caste. Is it Gender Violence against women or the stronger have a free ticket against the Meek. Are we discussing an age old Malaise over again? We are made to believe a EVERY NEW SCHEME is a empowering tool, in reality its more Infrastructure and White Collar officials with Electronic Gadgets. Schemes are a dilatory show. Results will show when we instil fear that the State watches its citizens right from the ground level beat and well funded, Trained and sensitive Constabulary or First contact points, not through repetitive Social Media and TV ads and celebrity endorsements. 

COMMUNITY TRAININGS AND WORKPLACE:

Non-Profits and Media need to intensify Community Domestic mind shape-shift rather than spar with the state. The State is infallible, its people are caught in a time capsule of yesterday. Gender is a constant Training not one time or landmark Workplace/POSH/Sexual Harassment Committee judgement setting any precedent. We forgot the Ground Level work is ongoing, responsibility of Social and Media Actors is people not heckling the state. We are so much awe of fancy Visuals of Well turned out Police Personnel almost equate it with National Pride. We donot have a Video coverage or documentary of realtime harassment the ENTIRE COMPLAINTS REGISTERING PROCEDURE IS. Let the Women find seamless access to justice, let common people know the building block of evolved communities and prosperous economies is mutual respect and trust. The State apparatuses will tweak, when the Ground consciousness shifts.

- - -