Victims of Rape and Torture in India

Domestic violence against women is prevalent in almost all the societies in the world. It is an issue which was not even recognised as a crime 40 years ago and is still not recognized as a crime by many societies. Women suffer from violence, including physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological violence by strangers and their partners all over the world (Kaya, 2010). Even though it is a worldwide occurrence, there are some women who face more intense and frequent violence depending on their culture, country, religion,

For many decades, women have experienced all forms of oppression and constant violence that threatened their existence in the male-dominated society. Various forms of discrimination and oppression have been directed to women for decades. Violence directed at women such as rape and battery were seen and treated as isolated scenarios. However, as the need to foster gender equality took pace, such oppressive actions are now perceived as elements of a wider system of dominance in the society that that needs to be addressed as a whole rather than in singularity

Throughout history, women have continuously found themselves as the subjects of oppression. Although the treatment of women has drastically changed over time, women are still exposed to much of the violence that exists today. Per the National Organization for Women, “young women, low-income women and some minorities are disproportionately victims of domestic violence and rape” (National Organization for Women, 2016). Women-centered violence is highly prevalent and reoccurring all over the world, even in our local communities. Individuals may be hesitant to consider just how much violence against women affects their communities.

Another negative effect of gender inequality is the increased fear of violence for women. Women are often portrayed as weak and helpless beings that can easily be taken advantage of. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon states that, “Violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture. It takes a devastating toll on women’s lives, on their families and on society as a whole. Most societies prohibit such violence –yet the reality is that too often, it is covered up or tacitly condoned” (Unite to End Violence Againist Women, 2006). Violence against women in the form of rape, spousal abuse, child abuse or spousal killing has become routine behavior over the years, so it rarely even makes the news anymore. “Women aged 15-44 are more at risk from rape and domestic violence than from cancer, motor accidents, war and malaria, according to World Bank data”( Unite to End Violence Againist Women, 2006). Women are often blamed and questioned about their actions if they become the

Violence against women has existed for centuries and women experience violence in many setting; however, domestic violence is the most prevalent. Abela and Walker (2014) explain that the women’s right movement took place because women were maltreated and oppressed (78). They state that the victimization of women was the reason why the second wave of the feminist movement arose. They also explain that during this time, laws in the Untied States allow men to hit their wives (Abela & Walker 79). Women from different cultures and different economic status have been victims of domestic violence. In this paper, I will focus on domestic violence against women from different cultures. I will present information about the history of domestic violence

Former president and religious leader Jimmy Carter, among many other actions he’s taken to try and better this world, has, in an attempt to expose some of the atrocities committed against women from practically the beginning of time to today’s day and age, through advocacy and his book A Call to Action, brought to the attention of the masses the deplorable issues of inequality this world sees constantly. From barbaric practices done in underdeveloped countries such as FGC (female genital cutting) and , to discriminatory, violent acts seen in today’s modern, civilized society such sexual assault and abuse toward women, Mr. Carter addresses the issues many are ignorant to. He not only addresses the issues of inequality, but makes strides to diminish violence entirely

Women and their children are in poverty and denied basic rights due to gender discrimination, domestic violence, religious beliefs, and illiteracy. A 2011 poll by the Thomson Reuters Foundation found Pakistan to be the third most dangerous country for women across the globe, citing more than 1,000 women and girls murdered in "honor killings" every year (Jamal 2011). 90 percent of Pakistani women were also found to be victims of domestic violence (Jamal 2011). Up until 2006, rape used to be under Islamic Law of Evidence where if the rape victim could not provide four male eyewitnesses to the crime in question, she could be severely punished (Ahmed 2008: 55). According to Pakistan’s National Commission on Status of Women in 2003, 80% of women in jail were there because “they had failed to prove rape charges and were consequently convicted of adultery” (Malik 2013).

Violence against women has been ever-present throughout time and place in our world and in recorded history. Although violence against women encompasses a whole range of related acts, rape and sexual assault perpetrated against women is the focus of this paper. Men and boys are also victims of sexual assault, but the numbers of women who are sexual assaulted are much higher. We will be examining the definition of rape, the effects of rape, issues associated with rape, theories about the cause of rape and engage in some speculation on what can be done to improve the safety of women.

There was once an Afghan woman who was repeatedly raped for 5 days by a local police officer. The police officer got his justice by being locked up, but the Afghan woman is now in hiding in fear of being punished by the other local policemen. This is just one sad story of what an Afghan woman has to go through on a daily basis. Stories like this are happening because of the results of the Soviet-Afghan War. Before the war, Afghanistan was a fairly free place. Women could go out on their own, wear what they wanted, and go to university. Now they are restricted from almost anything that involves the outside world. The Soviet-Afghan War, which happened in 1979, was a war in which the Soviet Union, who did not like what was happening in Afghanistan,

As a young woman, I can’t help but notice the negative actions done against females. I decided to read both articles titled, “Punished for Being Female,” and “Why Aren’t We Shocked?” by author Bob Herbert. Both articles surround the various topics discussing the crimes committed against women all over the world. In the article, “Punished for Being Female” the author discusses some of the abuse women suffer in certain parts of the world. One example of this is when the author stated, “In Pakistan, woman cannot legally prove she was raped unless four “virtuous” Muslim men testify that they witnessed the attack.” (Herbert, Punished For Being Female, 2006). Throughout the entire article there are certain crimes against women that are discussed,

Sadly, many countries and/or communities still have that macho way of thinking, believing that a woman only has two jobs in life, serve her family and bear children. Unfortunately, in many cases, these women are being mistreated, beaten and/or shut down. We can see examples of these situations in some countries of the Middle East.

The leading rape myth used to be about what a woman was wearing. The twisted logic goes like this: Women who wear provocative clothing are sluts who are “asking for it.” But the feminist movement has seriously chipped away at this rape myth. Thousands of women in Muslim countries who wear the burqa, hijab, and dress modestly are raped and sexually assaulted. In India according to the National Crime Registry, a woman is raped every twenty minutes. Egypt’s Interior Ministry reports that 20,000 women and girls are raped every year. Engy Ghozlan of the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights anti-harassment campaign said, “If the Ministry of the Interior gets 20,000 then you should multiply it by ten .” The United Nations Population Fund in Afghanistan

Everywhere around the world women and girls are terrorized, mistreated and victims of abuse, rape, and assault. Sadly this kind of treatment towards women and girls is often very common in Asian countries. The article by Gardiner Harris entitled, “Rape of Girl, 5, Draws Focus to Child Assault in India”, talks about how an innocent five year old girl was raped, tortured and almost killed in India. Harris wrote in the article that people demand stricter laws against sex crimes and that there should be more protection for women. In Asia women tend to be less desirable, and are treated with less respect than a man. Harris also claims that news reports are packed with stories about heinous crimes and assaults against women (Gardiner Harris, 2013).

Violence and torture against women is an accepted form of submission that is institutionalized and encourages the assault of the body, mind and sexuality. During the time of civil war and the Taliban regime, the extremist took the role of enforcing repercussions resulting from disobedience in the form of rape, gang rape, public beatings, mutilation, and torture (Sharif, 2015). The society promotes men – husband, father or brother, to decide how the women in their family will look, dress, marry, the activities she will engage in, and if she is allowed to pursue education. This absence of choice is reflective of the patriarchal society which still exists within Afghanistan. For any disobedience of a women towards the men in her life brings

An article released by the BBC entitled “Horrors of India’s Brothels Documented” brought this shocking global issue to my attention. The article provides information about a young Indian girl who was only 11 when she was sold into sex slavery by her neighbor (who had persuaded her family to let her go with him to Mumbai); she was taken from her impoverished village in West Bangel. Brutally raped the first night she arrived in a brothel, Guddi is only one of 20,000 sex workers in that specific area [Kamathipura] (2013). The article elaborates on the history of sex slavery in India. It points out that laws have recently been put into place against human trafficking. However, the laws are not being strongly enforced due to the sheer number of