Women have accused Hollywood Mogul Harvey Weinstein, Silicon Valley Empire Builders and big politicians for sexual abuse. Weinstein hired the most efficient spies on the earth, former Mossad, Israeli Spy officers to implicate complainants in make-believe crimes and paid them millions of dollars. Defamation suits from him were also feared.
There are so many reasons that a woman mostly tolerates a rape, fearing consequences, shame, humiliation, confusion. And she is the victim. Such cases are more relevant and true in India than in America. It is easier to get evidence of such crimes in America than in India. Still America is filled with hideous examples of fear.
A police lieutenant Cody Wilkerson in Memphis Tennessee was caught with evidence recently saying, “The first thing we should do is to start locking up more victims for false reporting of rapes”.
Propublica, a respected publication reported a case in 2015. A woman was raped in her apartment, upon reporting, she got prosecuted for false reporting.
How does a woman file reporting a rape in India? Even visiting police station itself is a big challenge in India. Forget evidence. It took India centuries to repeal the shameful two finger test only in 2012 after a national protest of rape of a 22 year old student. Laws were passed to have a police female officer at every police station all over the country, but how many cities fill up that requirement.
Compliance maybe 10% or less. How do you make half of our population feel safe and dignified? India is still a free world for men like medieval India used to be.
Deepika Narayan has written a book, “Chup” in Hindi. Be it strangers or be it close relatives, women can never complain on sexual trespassers. Mother, School, Society – they all teach the same thing – “Quiet” – Chup.
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