I Think: We don’t give the victim a place of power
Hafiza Sharmin, journalism student, Assam & Delhi
I am from Assam but I live in Delhi to pursue my higher studies. I think there is a huge difference between the thought process of people in Delhi and where I come from, especially when it comes to gender. There is this sense of suppressing women here. But there, people are more liberal and accepting. In my community, the system is totally different because a girl doesn’t go to her in-laws’ family, the guy comes to her place after marriage.
I did not really follow the media in Assam — the news is mostly about politics and it tends to be biased. They don’t talk much about rape or maybe people don’t report it that much. Also, I come from a matriarchal community so maybe there are fewer cases in my town. Or it could be that cases go unnoticed by the media.
The reportage is high in Delhi because it’s the capital city. Sabki nazar isi par hai (everyone’s eye is on it). In Delhi, the media may not be good at follow-ups but at least they tell us when a rape has happened.
Still, I do not like most of the news content I see. I feel that the ethics of journalism have gone missing somewhere. We are always biased in some way. I think the media houses want to project that they keep track of news of murder and rape. They do it just for the sake of doing it.
You cannot introduce a story and then not follow up — that’s not right. People want to know. They have a right to know. The public relies on the news. We are not going to ask the lawyers or the judge. The media should report properly and go till the end. I think every media house’s concern is to sell. They don’t care about the content. The rape news is more dramatic these days. Sometimes I feel like I am reading a Bollywood script. Come on, it’s a very sensitive issue, don’t do it just for sales or ratings!
I avoid rape and sexual violence stories, not because I find them disturbing but because I find it futile. Stories are published every day, but no one is coming up with the solution. We are just complaining about the society and the government. We are the ones who chose the government, even we are responsible.
Forget about the news, as a girl I am not allowed to talk about rape. If I am harassed and I want to make my friends aware, they will hush me up because log kya kahenge (what will people say)? When that guy was harassing or teasing me, where were these log (people)? That’s the problem with society. And then of course, people will suggest that maybe you did something to invite sexual violence. Rape is an intentional crime, it doesn’t happen like that.
We don’t give the victim a place of power. Talking is the only way out. We need to help each other.
