14th and 15th of August 2024: We were with our daughter, who’s pursuing her higher studies in one of our neighboring states.
On the backdrop of enjoying our great nation’s 78th year of independence, I happened to face a very intriguing situation that affected me first as a father and only second as a man!
Seeing a group of men standing together, my daughter whispered in her mother’s ears, “Amma, let's avoid that pedestrian path; they may pull us off!”.
I was taken aback by the concern of my little one, a 19-year-old professional college student! Though my best-half convinced her to take the same pedestrian path, instilling confidence by saying “all men are not devils”, I greatly got worried about our ‘freedom’ and the quote attributed to the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, flashed through not just my mind but my heart as well. “The day a woman can walk freely on the roads at night, that day we can say that India has achieved independence!” Indeed!
Freedom is more than just the absence of colonial rule; it is the right to live without fear, to work, explore, and move freely in our land. But look at the state of affairs even after 78 years of independence! In today’s India, do we have a single place or specific time where our mothers, sisters, and daughters are safe?! It is very disheartening that there are individuals who act in ways that are inhumane and devilish, who disregard the basic dignity and rights of others.
It is also distressing that we are celebrating 78 years of independence against the backdrop of brutal atrocities against ‘wombs’ who bore us or are going to bear our next generation! The gruesome murder of a young doctor at RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata, is not shocking but sends shivers down our spines. Most of the time, I feel we live in a society where humanity has completely expired. No wonder my daughter was hesitant to take the pedestrian path where a few young men were together!
The RG Kar incident is a chilling reminder of the Nirbhaya incident of 2012. Do we deserve to live in a society that guarantees no protection for girls and ladies, as the brutality against the young doctor and many other girls across our country numbs our hearts and souls.
No doubt, preventing sexual violence starts with what we teach our boys young. As I posted on my Facebook account on the 17th of August, the day IMA called for a nationwide strike against the injustice for RG Kar, “for a safer future for our mother, sister, and daughters, let's raise our sons right”.
However, establishing laws and policies of zero tolerance for sexual harassment and violence in the space where we live, work, and play is crucial. To reduce and end rape culture, perpetrators must be held accountable and convicted of crimes, and a strong message of zero tolerance must be sent-out.
Our Leaders, both women and men from top to bottom, should have the Leadership acumen similar to HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum who tweeted sometime in 2021 “If you are told that a woman can walk alone at day or late hours at night with no fear, you should know that she is in UAE”.
Yes, it is in our hands to inspire the future feminists of the world. We need to challenge the gender stereotypes and violent ideals that girls and even boys encounter in the media, on the streets, at school, and at home! Let our Children know that our family is a safe space for them to express themselves as they are. Rape and sexual abuse are never a funny punchline. Ever! Rape jokes completely delegalize sexual abuse. Rape and sexual abuse make it difficult for victims to speak up when their ‘consent’ is violated. Talks and jokes that naturalize and justify sexual abuse should not be acceptable; call them out now.
I hope our freedom will become the right to live without fear, to move, and to work freely in our land, not just for men but for women too. We all should be responsible for fostering a society where safety, equality, and respect are not privileges but the norm. Let us come together and ensure that the freedom we enjoy and celebrate is not just symbolic but a reality for every living being in this great land, #India that is #Bharat.
 | Prince Chacko
Son of a strong Mother, husband of a beautiful Wife, younger brother of a two loving Sisters and a brother, Father of two adorable Daughters and a son whom we want to raise right.
(Prince Chacko is a Retail Management professional in the fields of Consumer Electronics, FMCG & Fashion in Kuwait).
Image courtesy: Instagram |