Beyond Patriarchy: Encouraging Healthy Expressions Of Masculinity To Prevent Rape Culture In India – OpEd
The Supreme Court of India’s assertion (on August 20, 2024) is seen as a beacon of hope for women’s safety. While hearing the gruesome rape and murder case of a resident doctor at RG Kar Hospital, the highest court in the country stated that the safety and security of women in the workplace is essential to equality, recognizing it as a fundamental right. This landmark statement acknowledges that women’s participation in the workforce is contingent upon a safe and secure environment, free from harassment, violence, and discrimination. Insecure workplaces deny women equality by perpetuating a culture of fear, marginalization, and exclusion.
The RG Kar Hospital case refers to the recent rape and murder of a junior doctor (31) at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9, 2024. The Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognizance of the case, expressing deep concern over the widespread sharing of the victim’s name and photo. The case has sparked nationwide protests, with doctors demanding justice and better security at workplaces. The Supreme Court, acknowledging their concerns, has constituted a 10-member national task force for doctors’ safety and appealed to the protesting doctors to return to work.
According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, crimes against women in India have increased by 4% in 2022. This includes cases of cruelty by husbands and relatives, abductions, assaults, and rapes. The NCRB report detailed a substantial escalation in reported crimes against women, rising from 3,71,503 cases in 2020 to 4,45,256 cases in 2022. Compared to 2021’s 4,28,278 cases, the 2022 statistics marked a troubling increase. The country witnessed a rise in rape cases, with 31,000 cases recorded in 2022 alone, translating to nearly 85 women being raped every day in India.
Women have historically been treated as repositories of honor due to the culture of patriarchy. Although significant changes have occurred, some cultures continue to normalize violence, including honor killings, shame killings, and attacking women during riots, and controlling their bodies through rape. From a sociological perspective, the workplace is a critical site of socialization where individuals learn and internalize societal norms and expectations. When women face harassment, discrimination, or violence at work, it reinforces harmful gender stereotypes and power dynamics, leading to limited career advancement opportunities, reduced job satisfaction and productivity, increased stress and mental health issues, and decreased participation of women in the workforce.
Feminist theory further illuminates the intersectional nature of workplace insecurity, highlighting how women from marginalized communities, such as Dalits, Adivasis, and LGBTQ+ individuals, face compounded vulnerabilities. The Supreme Court’s stance emphasizes the need for stringent anti-harassment policies and implementation, gender-sensitive training and awareness programs, safe reporting mechanisms and redressal systems, and inclusive and diverse workplace cultures shaped by constant gender sensitization, trainings, and workshops in all private and public institutions.
By recognizing safety and security as essential to equality, the Supreme Court has underscored the imperative for transformative change in Indian workplaces. This shift towards inclusive and secure work environments will enable women to reach their full potential, challenging patriarchal structures and fostering a more equitable society.
To tackle rape in India, a multifaceted approach is required to address the deep-rooted sociological factors perpetuating this heinous crime. India needs a positive and gender-neutral parenting culture to avoid bad socialization of children at the family level. A shift in values is necessary to challenge age-old and deeply ingrained patriarchal norms and stereotypes that objectify women and perpetuate gender-based violence. India must promote gender equality and respect through education, media, and community engagement to prevent becoming the rape capital of the world.
At the education and awareness level, the country needs to integrate comprehensive sex education, consent, and healthy relationships into school curricula and conduct workshops and campaigns to raise awareness about rape, its consequences, and support services. Laws related to rape, sexual harassment, and violence against women must be enhanced and strictly enforced, ensuring speedy trials, convictions, and adequate punishment for perpetrators. Most importantly, support survivors and establish accessible, sensitive, and confidential support systems for survivors, including counseling, medical aid, and legal assistance through women’s study centers and legal welfare bodies.
Community engagement is crucial, involving men and women in initiatives promoting gender equality, respect, and safety. Addressing power dynamics, recognizing and addressing power imbalances based on gender, caste, class, and other social factors, is essential. Media responsibility, encouraging responsible media reporting, avoiding sensationalism and victim-blaming, and police reform, training police personnel to handle rape cases sensitively, professionally, and efficiently, are also vital.
Encouraging healthy expressions of masculinity by challenging harmful notions of masculinity linked to aggression and control. Healthy expressions like Emotional Expression to Encourage men to express emotions like vulnerability, empathy and kindness which can help break down harmful stereotypes and promote healthy relationships. Like Respectful Communication that can help men understand and respect boundaries, consent, and women’s autonomy. Another expression can be Empathy and Active Listening. We need to encourage men to engage in empathetic listening and understanding that can help them recognize and challenge harmful attitudes and behaviors. Also the expression of accountability and responsibility as promoting a sense of accountability and responsibility among men can encourage them to take ownership of their actions and challenge toxic masculinity. The expression of Non-Violent Conflict Resolution is a must for encouraging men to resolve conflicts non-violently that can help reduce aggression and promote healthy relationships. There is a need to encouraging men to become allies and advocates for gender equality and women’s rights can help create a culture of support and solidarity. The expression of Promoting healthy, equal, and respectful relationships can help men understand and value mutual respect, trust, and consent. By promoting these healthy expressions of masculinity, India can Challenge harmful gender stereotypes and toxic masculinity as a society. It can foster a culture of respect, empathy, and consent and encourage men to become allies and advocates for gender equality. It can reduce aggression and violence and Promote healthy relationships and communication since even capital punishment as a deterrent has failed to curb the heinous and gruesome crimes like rapes against women (Nirbhaya 2012 rape and murder criminals were hanged but more heinous rapes continued).
On the other hand, Women’s studies or gender studies as a discipline needs more empowerment in the country to disseminate gender sensitization throughout the county. India has more than 100 women’s studies centres that are contributing to the society in terms of gender sensitization, outreach programmes, community reach and feminist research beyond teaching the subject of gender studies. These centres need more strength and they should be mandated to sensitize men and women in all workplaces in the country. Besides this,there is a need to foster partnerships among government agencies, NGOs, and community organizations to ensure a unified response to tackling rape. And most importantly India has to strictly ban porn sites to prevent rapes. Why porn ban is because Pornography often portrays women as objects for sexual gratification, reinforcing harmful gender stereotypes and contributing to a culture of objectification. Pornography normalizes Violence and provokes people to violent and aggressive animal like instincts. Also content in pornography can desensitize individuals to violence against women, potentially leading to an increased likelihood of committing rape. Pornography frequently presents unrealistic and unhealthy expectations of sexual behavior, potentially leading to a distorted view of consent and healthy relationships.
The consumption of pornography can perpetuate a culture that trivializes and normalizes sexual violence, creating an environment in which rape is more likely to occur. Early exposure to pornography can shape the attitudes and behaviors of young people, potentially leading to a lack of understanding about consent and healthy relationships. Though it’s important to note that banning porn sites alone may not completely prevent rapes, as the issue is complex and multifaceted.
Last word
A comprehensive approach addressing societal attitudes, education, and legal frameworks is necessary to effectively tackle the problem. Implementing these strategies requires a sustained commitment to creating a culture of respect, equality, and safety for all individuals, particularly women and marginalized groups.
To prevent rape culture in India, it is essential to encourage healthy expressions of masculinity, challenge patriarchal norms, and create a safe and inclusive environment for women. As Chief Justice Chandrachud aptly stated on Kolkata tragedy, ‘If women are not able to go to work and the conditions are not safe, “we are denying them equality”. By recognizing the inherent value of equality and safety, we can work towards a future where women can thrive without fear of violence, and men can embrace healthy masculinity without perpetuating harm.