I Think: Brutal rapes cause a wild uproar, then there’s silence
Joel S.R.Y, medical intern, Bangalore
Sexual violence is a huge problem in India. Despite increased laws and regulations, I haven’t seen much difference over the years when it comes to women’s safety. I always fear for the women and girls around me.
I was brought up in Saudi Arabia and fortunately none of the women in my family have ever faced anything close to sexual violence. It has been almost five years since I moved to Bangalore and here I’ve read about, heard about and also seen innumerable women who have faced sexual violence at least once in their lifetime.
We need an integrated approach to tackle this horrendous problem. Firstly, we need harsh laws and a transparent judicial system. Not many people are scared of committing offences — whether it is not wearing a helmet on a two-wheeler or sexually assaulting someone, they think they can easily get away with it.
Secondly, the media needs to educate the masses, especially in rural and developing areas, about the stigma and secrecy that surrounds rape. The media also has the power to scrutinise and highlight any loopholes in our system.
From a medico perspective, we can provide psychological care, a hope to continue with normal life, and help for a survivor to cope. Physical trauma during rape is one aspect — merely the tip of the iceberg — whereas the emotional trauma a survivor goes through is immeasurable.
Everybody has a right to live fearlessly and feel safe. We can achieve it by creating awareness, strict laws and educating people about their rights.
There are so many news portals in our country but all I see are statistics, coupled with a wild uproar and abrupt silence after a brutal incident. My message to the media is: can we have constant follow-ups and impartial coverage that will effectively influence the masses?
