Rape Culture in Indian Society

Rape contaminates our society. It is an infection that affects every aspect of daily society, from perceptions to actions to thoughts to emotions. And all infections have epidemics. Looking at Indian society today, it is safe to say that we are in the midst of just such an outbreak—perhaps not in terms of the quantity or quality of such incidents, but certainly in terms of the reactions and attitudes towards them. More people are raising their voices in protest than ever before. Awareness is spreading, and gradually, so is understanding. So is repudiation.
Everybody has a different opinion on what causes rape. Perhaps rape is an assertion of dominance, perhaps an outlet for sexual frustration. Perhaps rape is caused by the time of day, the type of clothing or behaviour, the presence of supportive company, by alcohol, by drugs—there are, somehow, hundreds of excuses for these inexcusable acts.
But that does not change the fact that rape, just like all social epidemics, has a context. A socio-cultural context, created by each one of us who inhabits the public and private spheres. As such, preventive and disciplinary measures become a collective responsibility—not just an issue for potential victims to consider. Rape is not just the fault of a rapist; it is the collective fault of a series of individuals. Rape is the fault of the lackadaisical policeman who invokes no fear of repercussion, no sense of faith in her protection. Rape is the fault of the political leader who speaks out blaming victims. Rape is the fault of the silent witnesses on the street, scared of all the wrong things. Rape is the fault of the media outlet that blows up each case, creating a sense of comfort, fearlessness, and acceptance in the mind of a rapist. Rape is the fault of an adult who makes a boy feel like he leads society. Rape is your fault, just as it is mine.
Rape can be eradicated only once these individual failings are collectively eradicated. This can be achieved only through sensitization, of which public awareness plays a major role. It is improbable that an individual not be aware of the issue of rape today, yet how likely is it that he or she is seriously thinking about or acting on the issue? The message needs to stick permanently in the minds of all people; only then will it be taken seriously. One of the ways in which this can be achieved is through increasing openness, with all those affected stepping forward to share their personal experiences—after all, the personal creates a connection with mind and heart much better than the impersonal detachment of newspaper stories and nameless, faceless generalizations ever can. Mass personal connection and involvement with the issue is the best method to bring about changes in law enforcement, in socio-cultural attitudes, in every single aspect of the rape context.
And once that context is destroyed, we will have destroyed the world in which the rapist is the one who is safe, who is free. And then it will be we who are safe, we who are free.