The article “Dignity is her birthright” by Justice Prabha Sridevan (March 24) once again raises important questions that have been asked by women's groups and rights activists since 1978-79. This was the time when two cases of custodial sexual assault on women — Rameeza Bee in Andhra Pradesh and Mathura in Maharashtra — set new parameters for understanding the crime of sexual assault. Since then, for over 30 years now, women have been battling sexual assault through courts and raising the bar of public debate and consciousness on the issue in a patriarchal society. From examining the ideological biases of forensic medicine to stripping off the patriarchal lenses of judges and investigating officers, women have fought a long and protracted battle for dignity and the right against sexual assault through public debate, rights litigation and advocacy. A significant volume of writing now looks at the implications of collective violence in the context especially of Gujarat. And most recently, women from across the country put these learnings together in a draft bill on sexual assault which is with the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, while public debate and socio-legal research have made rapid strides, these learnings have entered courts only haltingly. I hope Justice Sridevan's piece will prompt the further development of a jurisprudence that keeps pace with the work of women's groups in our country.
Kalpana Kannabiran,Council for Social Development, Hyderabad
The article has rightly pointed to the mental state of a rape victim. At every stage, she is humiliated. Besides suffering physically, she endures the stigma forced upon her by society. She is driven to live the life of a destitute which is more painful. The criminal justice system is hostile to her too. This discourages many victims of rape from registering a complaint. The need of the hour is a change in the attitude towards rape victims.
Avneesh Kumar Verma,Allahabad
As long as there is life on earth, the ‘might is right' principle will continue to operate. A man obsessed with his power can be stopped only by his conscience. Idealism and constitutional obligations will not stop rape. A more meaningful approach would be to warn women to take adequate precautions. In most of the rape cases, the perpetrator is known to the victim, sometimes all her life. Teach self-defence, not morality, to stop rape.
G. Chiranjeevi,Hyderabad
Rape devastates the victim socially and psychologically. The perpetrators of the crime should be dealt with severely and the victims with sensitivity. The families of the victims, society and state institutions should help them recover from the trauma.
Sameer Kumar Gupta,Noida
Besides the rapist, society is also guilty of violating a rape victim's dignity. It does everything that should not be done. This only adds to the victim's trauma. She is isolated by her family, friends and relatives. This convinces her that the ‘stigma' cannot be washed away.
Vikram Singh,Kurukshetra
