It was already a bumper year(2011) for obnoxious & dangerously stupid statements from Indian Police officials on the subject of violence against women. Adding to it sometime back Minister for Women & Child Development Mr. C C Patil of the BJP led Karnataka government made a statement blaming women’s for wearing provocative clothes, leading to an increase in rape cases in the country. And the same man was caught along with two other ministers for watching porn video clips in the state assembly yesterday. Mr. Patil where do you intend to shove your face in disgrace? I’m no moral police nor do I believe in moral policing. I only mind my business, but sorry to say this is something I do mind & everyone will for that matter because you’re an elected representative of the masses, that chose you to stand for them in the assembly. And if you can’t stand tall on their expectations at least don’t trample over them by resorting to such ignominious thing. Anyway in yet another instance Andhra Pradesh police chief Dinesh Reddy chimed in recently by blaming provocative dresses for an increase in rape cases in his state, saying this was beyond the police’s control.
A lot had been written about the politics of dressing, Besharmi Morchas, women’s rights vs Indian tradition, etc. Unfortunately, a lot of these debates get quickly bogged down in weighty discussions of culture & feminism. There’s a more immediate, materialistic issue that I haven’t seen discussed much: how prevailing official attitudes about the way women should dress & act are hurting the country economically. And also even after stepping in the 21st century, why some men tend to act one like being in 18th century? I believe it’s more in thoughts than a piece of cloth.
In most of the countries a woman can wear a short dress or a sleeveless t-shirt without attracting undue attention or comments or any societal disapproval whatsoever. She can wear such clothes on a crowded public street, while drinking a beer in a cafe, & often to work. The average woman who dresses this way is probably not consciously ‘dressing provocatively’; she may be simply wearing summer clothes because it’s hot. To be sure, she’s aware that men may find her attractive. But she considers herself safe, because she knows that most men can behave themselves, & that if she needs help protecting herself from the few violent types who can’t, she can turn to the police.
Women make up half the world’s population, & over the last century – statistically speaking, as a group-they have steadily become better educated, more financially independent, & more economically powerful. Today, women of all races & nationalities are managing companies, investing in new ones, & making high powered business deals. They are experts in specialized fields of management, engineering, governance, & social service. They also tour the world for pleasure, often spending their own money & travelling without male companions.
India is not a friendly place for these foreign businesswomen or solo women travellers. When they walk through the streets of our cities, they are subjected to uncomfortable stares, sleazy comments, & worse. The truth is that it hardly matters what they wear. One thing is for sure: when they hear top cops & officials like Dinesh Reddy & CC Patil spout chauvinist opinions that legitimize the harassment, it does not make them feel safer. These women’s will never consider touring India because of its reputation for ill-treating women visitors. Instead they will head for a friendly place where they can wear what they please & go where they like without fear of being leered at & sneered at by men.
And it’s not just foreigners. There are millions of smart, hardworking Indian women who rightly feel they deserve simple pleasures like being able to dress up & go out dancing with friends once in a while. We know India suffers from brain drain as many of our best educated young people decide to emigrate to richer, better-governed countries. This moral policing only adds to the list of reasons for our most capable women to want to leave.
Change has to come from the top. It is the government’s & police’s duty to protect law-abiding people from criminals. Officers who try to duck this responsibility by blaming short skirts & unlady like behaviour must be summarily removed from their positions, if India is ever to become a superpower. Also our attitude matters a lot for the change we foresee, a good one. Why can’t we just stop criticizing women for being skimpily clad or provocatively dressed? Why can’t we change our attitude towards the victims of sexual harassment & assault instead of blaming them? When will we step out of the age old societal moral purview? When will we allow our women’s to be what they are instead of making them what we want them to? Why in the disguise of shielding we kill their individuality? Civic Liberties are common for all, so should it be for every individual irrespective of sex. We need to change our outlook for a hassle free environment that beckons without any discrimination.
