In a survey of about 7,600 residents conducted recently by a private hospital, 65 per cent of the respondents had no clear understanding of rape, saying the act is ‘impossible without a woman’s cooperation’ or depends on the situation.
Only 2,684 respondents felt rape is possible without any cooperation from a woman.
The survey, conducted by WCF Hospitals, covered areas on gender gap, domestic violence, perceptions of rape and sexual harassment, with almost equal male and female representation, and transgenders as well.
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What is disturbing, say experts, is that the responses come at a time when the country is slowly but surely registering the reality of rape. “The survey was embarked upon a month after the Delhi rape case, so the respondents were aware of its implications,” says D. Rajasekar, gynaecologist and chief author of the survey.
Gender samples revealed that a greater percentage of men felt it was impossible to rape a woman without any cooperation from her side. “About 39 per cent of the male respondents seemed to think that women play a role in them being sexually assaulted,” says Dr. Rajasekar.
A worrying 28 per cent (1,107) of women seem to agree with them, according to the survey, while 1,196 seemed to be on the fence, saying it depends on the situation.
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According to psychiatrist Lakshmi Vijayakumar, there is no question of ‘cooperation’ at all where rape is concerned. “Rape happens when there is forcible intrusion. Sometimes, two persons may have had consensual sex in the past, but if the woman does not want to continue the relations and the man forces himself upon her, it is rape,” she explains.
“The argument has to shift from cooperation to consent,” says advocate Sheila Jayaprakash. “Where is the question of cooperation when it comes to rapes in conflict zones and of children,” she asks, adding that in a male-dominated society such as ours, women are blamed for rape and sex crimes.
“Whether it is media or what a woman is told by her family, rape is considered a woman’s fault. She internalises it, which is why some female respondents have said it is impossible for women to be raped without their cooperation,” she adds.