Rape Culture- Boys will be Boys (really!)

While all news agencies are solely focusing on COVID 19 and news related to it. A major incident happened that though featured in the news, was not really discussed.

Bois Locker Room Incident-

Now what is the incident?

"Bois Locker Room", is an Instagram (social media) account comprising of school going boys in Delhi, India. The group came under the scanner when it was brought to light that, the participants of this group were sharing nudes and other obscene material of their fellow classmates (girls). They were also, making crude comments and talking of raping these girls.

My Take-

When you hear such an incident, your first thoughts are really, come again, am I hearing the right thing? But alas, this is the brutal reality we all have to live with.

India is a country where girls or kanyas are worshipped as an incarnation of Goddess Durga- the deity of strength and source of life on Earth (aadi-shakti). And still, incidences are these are found out frequently. 

According to many psychologists, the problem lies in the patriarchal mindset of people and the way they treat boys to be the flag bearers (descendants) of their family and their name and girls to be a burden which is best disposed off by marrying her. Boys enjoy significant freedom whereas, girls are subjected to live within the four walls of the house. This very upbringing strategy leaves a scar on the minds of youth and they unknowing carry forward this misogynistic attitude and regard womenfolk as degraded beings- 'The Second Sex.'

Certain boys also join groups like these to appear cool. They are either under peer pressure or they live under the mis-guided notion that if they are not a part of such a group, then, they are not cool and hence would be a loner. 

Tendencies to objectify women and treat them as a means of pleasure may have their roots in pornographic films. Now we all know, in the Lockdown, most of us have been spending hours on the internet (working from home) and when such an access was given to young boys they found recourse in porn sites. Porn-hub a leading porn site was found to have given unlimited access to their porn content to help people stay at home. This could be one of the reasons for such a behaviour. 

Even the Films, Television Series and shows online are a source of degrading women by explicitly using sexual innuendos and portraying women as a seductress, whose sole object is to woo her man and please him through her body. The profuse use of Item numbers that showcase women in a demeaning light too add to the list. 

I personally think, that the laxity in enforcing laws that prevent the repetition of sexual crimes too makes the offenders fearless of law and they, go about their business without any fear of being punished. Its often said that "Justice delayed is Justice denied". I agree that there are a lot of pending cases in the Judiciary and with limited number of Judges, the burden of work is major on each. But still it cannot be denied that if offenders were punished brutally and within a time frame then such cases would fall considerably.

Finally, the callous attitude of the masses too is a chief cause of the rise in cases like these. People usually resort to victim shaming and and also in a way eulogise boys by stating that Boys will be Boys and they are bound to do stuff like this.

In the end I would like to remind all that Manu (a mythological character) had stated that God resides there, where Women are respected and treated well. So it not in our scriptures to belittle women but in our own corrupt mindset.

Hope some sense shall prevail after some of you read this blog.

Love,

Pankhuri