The Hindu : New Delhi News : Delving into rape — victims, rapists

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Saturday, Jul 04, 2009
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New Delhi

Delving into rape — victims, rapists — and aftermath

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Rape Compounded, a documentary by director Lavlin Thadani, makes adept use of shadow lighting, costume paint, music and hard-hitting dialogue to examine the subject of rape.

The film, whose inaugural screening took place at India Habitat Centre here on Thursday, begins by highlighting that rape cases in India are multiplying manifold. With the help of skilled theatre artists, Ms. Thadani brings out the gravity of rape and its implications for the victim, the perpetrator and society.

By getting opinions on the issue from a wide cross-section of people, a great deal of depth is lent to the subject.

The film explores the psyche of the rape victim and also that of the rapist. While many victims feel helpless, there are also some who find the strength to live their lives despite societal opposition. “It is rather ironical that when a woman is raped, people accuse the victim of provoking the rape rather than displaying compassion. Often the victim is shunned post-rape rather than the perpetrator,” says a character in the film.

The film also tries to analyse the reasons — repression of sexuality, a disturbed childhood and inharmonious family relations — for a man committing rape. Interviewing some Tihar Jail rape convicts, a distinction was made between those who were in outright “denial” and those who were in a state of “unguarded acceptance”.

While police are criticised for their unsympathetic handling of rape cases, the media too receive flak for their insensitive presentation .

The film also brings up the question if seven years’ imprisonment is enough punishment in a rape case.

Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam says: “Rape has deep physical, psychological and sociological consequences. Sometimes families are unable to restore the victim to even minimum standards of self-esteem. There are few psychiatrists to help deal with victims in the aftermath. Many in the legal profession have not read a judgment related to a rape case.”

“Rehabilitation of the victims is important. It must not be viewed as charity. We have to come up with innovative civil responses to the situation, something creative and makes us uncomfortable.”

He says exclusive fast-track courts should be set up for rape cases with a set time-frame so that justice can be delivered as soon as possible. He notes that the media is a powerful instrument and new tools such as Facebook and Twitter can be used to mobilise communities.

Kiran Bedi, former D-G of the Bureau of Police Research and Development, speaks of the development of a new sort of rape in which men are raped by men, particularly in prisons. She speaks of the need for a law for protection against such forms of rape.

She emphasises the need for a law that would make it binding on the media to be associated with women’s causes in addition to other social causes.

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