Aditi Sharif:
Being an over-sensitive and undisciplined person, I used to avoid social media platforms as it increased my anxiety level. Therefore, I decided to deactivate my Facebook ID after the successful completion of the glorious July Revolution in Bangladesh as the news of mob attacks, firing, and communal violence was too heavy for me to tolerate. Nevertheless, I activated my Facebook account briefly to gain a neutral perspective on communal violence on 15 August 2024.
However, I noticed another piece of news about a woman in Calcutta that shook my heart. On 8 August 2024, A young doctor, Moumita Debnath, who was doing her internship at a public medical college in Calcutta, was raped and brutally killed after her 36 hours long night duty at her workplace. The description of this horrific crime, available on social media, can wreck any human being’s nerve. Her body was found semi-naked. Her pelvis griddle was broken. Her legs were at a 90-degree angle in the opposite direction. Her eyes were bleeding. There were 120 marks of injuries on her body. The information, that awfully disturbed me was that 150 ml of bodily fluid was found in her body, which proved that at least 10-15 men raped her. Such a brutal act it is! But is it quite an exceptional crime in the subcontinent? I don’t think so. While I am talking about Moumita, some rape cases in Bangladesh also pop up in my mind. The rape and murder of Tanu was one of them. Now, what are the reasons behind such brutal crimes?
Early psychological theorists considered rape to be sexually motivated where the sexual histories of victims were relevant(McPhail, 2016). This perspective, no matter how despicable it is, sums up the mentality of the conservatives, who blame the dress codes, character, or behavior of the victims. In the 1970s, a group of Western feminists claimed that rape was not a product of individual deviance. Rather, it was “a product of rape culture that condoned and excused male violence”(McPhail, 2016). Rape culture can be defined as “an environment in which rape is prevalent and in which sexual violence is normalized and excused in the media and popular culture. Rape culture is perpetuated through the use of misogynistic language, the objectification of women’s bodies, and the glamorization of sexual violence, thereby creating a society that disregards women’s rights and safety”(Rape Culture, Victim Blaming, And The Facts | Southern Connecticut State University, n.d.). To understand the rape culture, we can observe some scenarios from the July Revolution of Bangladesh. After the fall of the Hasina Regime, the mob attacked the Prime Minister’s house and plundered many things, which was quite obvious after the fall of the autocratic regime.
However, what shocked me immensely was that I observed some young people dancing with the bras of Sheikh Hasina. No, I don’t have any sympathy for Sheikh Hasina. No sensible human being can have that. Nevertheless, no one can deny that sexually objectifying an old woman is a manifestation of deep-rooted misogyny. Let’s examine the slang words prevalent in many prominent languages worldwide. We can identify that a significant amount of words are associated with women’s sexuality or sexual assault. On the other hand, sexual harassment, aggressive behavior toward women, and even disrespectful attitudes toward queers and non-binary genders can be evident which can be used as an example of rape culture.
Now, does the rape culture exploit only women? People, who think of gender as a binary system, can think so. However, having experience in researching Childhood Abuse, I won’t claim that men are never victims of rape and women can never be the perpetrators. From the data collected for my undergrad monograph, it was evident that both men and women could be the victims and perpetrators of such heinous crimes. For me, Rape Culture is a part of patriarchy, which justifies the violence against the non-dominant gender in a particular context where other indicators ( such as class, ethnicity, religion, and power) play significant roles. To uproot the whole culture, we must involve ourselves in a long struggle, acknowledging the differences and diversity of people. Let’s start with ensuring justice for Moumita, Tanu, and other unfortunate victims (no matter who hinders the process).
References:
McPhail, B. A. (2016). Feminist Framework Plus: Knitting Feminist Theories of Rape Etiology Into a Comprehensive Model. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 17(3), 314–329. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838015584367
Rape Culture, Victim Blaming, And The Facts | Southern Connecticut State University. (n.d.). Retrieved August 17, 2024, from https://inside.southernct.edu/sexual-misconduct/facts
Biography:
Aditi Sharif is a Social Researcher, currently researching Gender Diversity, Historiography, Feminist Discourse and Methodology, Heritage, and Migration. She is also working as a volunteer writer for Women Chapter English.