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Discussing why India's culture may contribute to the problem can shed light on why American culture may contribute to the problem.
The problem exists because of men's attitudes towards women, and because men know they can get away with it. And both of those factors are products of culture. And both of those factors are present in India and in the United States.
I think it's often easier, and the discussion stays on a more rational rather than emotional/defensive track, when we discuss the cultural deficits of cultures other than ours. Then, pointing out the parallels between the two can be productive.
So, the US culture is rooted in patriarchal culture, though our culture of individualism has eroded that rigid patriarchy. Indian culture isn't simply rooted in patriarchal culture, it is steeped in it. Patriarchy dominates the country as a whole, with small urban pockets proving the exception.
Why is patriarchy so harmful to women?
Apparently a much bigger problem in USA than many other countries.
1) Ever since the Delhi Bus Gang rape, rape has been an extremely hot topic in India; hundreds of thousands of people if not millions demonstrated due to shock and outrage, and the Indian media pulls no stops in reporting on it. Rape is barely a blip on the radar for American media.
2) Because the Indian media reports on it, this is what foreigners hear about India and what they base their perceptions off(which often feeds their ignorance, racism, and culturalism). This is sort of like a Canadian who only hears about US race relations through the media lambasting America for racism.
3) It's estimated that 90% of rapes in India go unreported(it's 60-85% in the UK; 59% in the US),this is due to fear if being stigmatized and the fact that law enforcement in certain areas(Delhi in particular) don't take allegations seriously. Uncompromising media coverage will help destigmatize reporting it and make law enforcement more accountable. Every rapist deserves and needs to be locked up, and every victim needs to have a sense that justice has been served.
4) Rape and sex crimes against women is a problem everywhere. India is currently having a "national discussion" of sorts about the issue which goes back to point number 1 and 2. Heaven forbid a country actually tries to tackle this problem in the open.
5) The Indian media should continue their focus on reporting in this area. The Indian media plays an integral part in tackling this problem. To hell with negative international perceptions based on ignorance, racism, and culturalism!!!
1) Ever since the Delhi Bus Gang rape, rape has been an extremely hot topic in India; hundreds of thousands of people if not millions demonstrated due to shock and outrage, and the Indian media pulls no stops in reporting on it. Rape is barely a blip on the radar for American media.
2) Because the Indian media reports on it, this is what foreigners hear about India and what they base their perceptions off(which often feeds their ignorance, racism, and culturalism). This is sort of like a Canadian who only hears about US race relations through the media lambasting America for racism.
3) It's estimated that 90% of rapes in India go unreported(it's 60-85% in the UK; 59% in the US),this is due to fear if being stigmatized and the fact that law enforcement in certain areas(Delhi in particular) don't take allegations seriously. Uncompromising media coverage will help destigmatize reporting it and make law enforcement more accountable. Every rapist deserves and needs to be locked up, and every victim needs to have a sense that justice has been served.
4) Rape and sex crimes against women is a problem everywhere. India is currently having a "national discussion" of sorts about the issue which goes back to point number 1 and 2. Heaven forbid a country actually tries to tackle this problem in the open.
5) The Indian media should continue their focus on reporting in this area. The Indian media plays an integral part in tackling this problem. To hell with negative international perceptions based on ignorance, racism, and culturalism!!!
I can't really quibble with your points, but seriously, I think India really needs to take that giant step to becoming civilized. It's one thing to continuously brag about a cultural past that goes back thousands of years without realizing that said culture vanished just as long ago, and quite another to come up to the 21st century and step up on human rights.
I can hardly claim to understand Indian culture in depth, but I do know that continuously harping on 3000 year old greatness gets very tiring. For crying out loud, I get tired enough listening to WW II breast beating over here ("you'd all be speaking German" etc), but this ancient cultural thing has to be tempered.
The question should be...what have you done lately?
It sells more paper and makes Americans feel like it's safer here.
Rape in Americans are far more prevalent.
Got any facts for that?
India may be an emerging power, but it is very far away from western traditions. Men are still allowed to burn their brides there with impunity, and gang rape is quite common, especially in moving vehicles.
Got any facts for that?
India may be an emerging power, but it is very far away from western traditions. Men are still allowed to burn their brides there with impunity, and gang rape is quite common, especially in moving vehicles.
I am trying to put this in perspective, at first thought, I am horrified, and picture travel to India, akin to wanting gang rape, the streets of India's main tourism areas, rife with gangs of men, running wild, amok, grabbing women, and throwing them down, in a frenzy.
Then, I think about the infamous gang rape in Central Park, many years ago...which shocked our nation. And no doubt people thought New York was unsafe for women.
Rational thought returns, this is a problem, but India is a huge country, bad things happen. I hazard a guess, in relationship to the population size, that these gang rapes, while horrific, and no doubt, true, are, isolated events, and probably not occurring to American women, who are on a group tour bus, with other tourists, safely whisked to major destinations, which are probably heavily populated with security.
This seems to be a local, and society entrenched mentality. Culture in India has changed, and this change has fueled a rage, against poverty, class, social structure, and women are being abused as a result of this. Shocking. And it occurs here too...
USA: 27.3 per 100,000 people
India: 1.8 per 100,000
Yeah!!!! We win!!!!! We beat India hands down with a wide margin that 10 space shuttles can fly through at the same time!!!
India 1.8 per 100,000 most bull crap percentage ever its like Haiti the rapes don't get reported that's why the percentages are so low
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its like Haiti the rapes don't get reported that's why the percentages are so low
