~Diksha Bhat (@dikshabhat9_)
Now a days I feel unsafe to live,
By a woman of the present society
Not because of ghosts,
Or animals,
But because of the selfish humans,
The lack of safety…
Women are the vital part of our society. In the present society, women are playing major roles not only in the household but also in the fields of politics, economy as well as nation-building.
The days of the past are long gone now. The so-called ‘weak’ feminine race of the past is dead. Undoubtedly, women of the present society are walking at par with men, challenging them in almost every field.
It won’t be wrong to say that they’re even exceeding men in certain fields. Without their contributions in the society and its affairs, the world wouldn’t have been the same. Women are one of the crucial segments of the society.
The whole world has revolutionized. But unfortunately, a fragment of our society still relishes in the parochial, misogynistic mindset. They feel that women are a burden of the society and the family. They feel that a woman should only remain confined within the boundaries of the kitchen and the household.
Even today, in some sections of the society, women are treated with cruelty and disrespect. They are considered to be less competent than men. As a result of such atrocities and rotten mindsets, women safety in the society is still a dream to most.
Women Safety in the Society – An Overview
Women safety has been a highly important and sensitive issue of our society. There’s not even one single day, when we haven’t heard of an attack on a girl or a woman. Girls being killed, molested, raped, murdered have become a consistent element of the present news headlines.
In almost all under-developed, developing as well as developed nations, women safety is a crisis. Violence on women is a heinous crime. The sad part is that, such crimes are most of the times justified by blaming the victim. ‘Short dresses’, ‘too many male friends’, ‘roaming alone at night’ and sometimes, even ‘drinking at bars’ are portrayed as the probable causes of violence on them.
By presenting such lame and sick justifications, the real causes are often overlooked. The cause of violence on a woman is never her fault. The fault lies in the mentality of the attacker as well as the society. The real problem is the lack of punishment and absence of strict laws regarding violence on women.
There have been numerous cases where the culprit(s) managed to prove themselves innocent in the court of law whereas the victim(s) ended up being the one’s to be blamed. In most societies, the victims of rape and molestation are treated as a burden to the family and are defamed in the society.
The pattern of patriarchal stratification has also proved to contribute a whip hand to the crimes and violence on women. Since the ancient times, the male and the female individuals have been treated differently. The stereotypical society, for instance forbade women to stay out late at night.
Even today, when a woman faces some form of molestation, she’s usually expected to not react. Such passiveness adds to the endangerment of women safety. As a result, the miscreants, in absence of any protest from the victims, become more confident and carry on with their anti-social activities.
Our Responsibilities in Promoting Women Safety
Every citizen of the society should agree and ensure that each individual, regardless of the gender, social class and financial background has the right to be safe.
Education is the mightiest weapon in the battle to ensure women safety. The values of education are irreplaceable. Women and girls should be allowed access to quality education, healthcare and choice of career. Not only that, they should be given the right to marry according to their will and even to remain unmarried.
Education along with exposure to the outside world during this regard is extremely important to dispel social taboos. Moreover, proper sexual education, the importance of consent and the equality of all genders should be taught to both the sexes, from their early childhood. This will ensure that one knows his/her limitations and responsibilities.
Role of the Government in Promoting Women Safety
The government plays an important part in the herculean task of ensuring women safety in today’s progressive society. The authorities should make sure that strict laws are put in place against the violators of a woman’s dignity. Officials should ensure the the laws in effect are enforced on the miscreants.
There’s no purpose in establishing laws for the protection of girls if the system is restrictive and inhibiting. Without a doubt, there has got to be an upgrade in the judicial infrastructure to guard the rights of women and girls.
There are various organizations that constantly work in order to bring to light, the issues of harassment and violence on girls. They crowdsource anonymous stories of sexual violence and use them to interact with individuals, communities, and institutions to find solutions to such atrocious crimes.
Now is the high time to break all social taboos and evolve an open mind. Now is the time, the society broke free of the shackles of stereotypical notions and deep rooted patriarchy.
As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you would like to see”. Let us all come together, joining hands to safeguard the rights of women and protect them from the acts of monstrosity and obscenity. Of the 8 billion on the earth, if every individual does their bit, the world will soon will become a far better place for the women to live in without any trepidation.
Read more on Women Safety at UN Women
Image Courtesy: UN Women, Pixabay
