I Think: We need to talk about the roots of the problem, not just the problem
Ashmeen Bains, art curator, New Delhi
I don’t read a lot of newspapers or watch news on TV. I generally get my news on Facebook. It is very echo-chamberish and I would say I consume very left-wing, liberal views on different issues.
I think media reports treat news of sexual violence as a number rather than as an incident. For me, I simply consume rape reports as a statistic these days, because there are so many of them. The media also doesn’t talk about the details of the case. Every instance is different, but when it becomes news, it is simply treated as a number. I think treating each case as separate and contexualising based on the system it took place in would give a deeper insight into the system that makes this possible.
Cases of sexual assault are treated like unfortunate events that just happen out of nowhere. But there is a system in place that allows them to happen — every day. I don’t think media reports take into account this system that constantly perpetuates something like the Weinstein case or the Cosby case, and I do think talking about that behaviour is necessary.
We need to talk about what makes it possible. We need to talk about the roots of the problem, instead of talking about them as if it never happens otherwise.
