Sexual Assault

Women Are The Victims

By Bindu Jha

VIOLENCE against women is not an inherent part of "maleness" but a function of socially constructed norms of acceptable behaviour. We continue to focus mainly on women because sexual assault is primarily directed towards them. This is further supported by Montreal Health Press (MHP), 1992, Canada. According to MHP about 97 per cent of the people who are sexually assaulted are female.

Report

A Situational Analysis of Violence against Women and Girls in Nepal, 1997, a publication of SAATHI observes that among the other forms of physical violence against women, rape accounts to 33 per cent in Nepal. The same publication also reports the prevalence of rape cases according to geographical location--Kanchanpur 14 per cent, Jhapa 16 per cent, Kathmandu 17 per cent, Nuwakot 31 per cent and Banke 22 per cent.

Germaine Greer writes that "The fear of sexual assault is a special fear; its intensity in women can best be likened to the male fear of castration." The fear of the assault and the social stigma attached to the victim traumatised a considerable number of women to restrict their daily lives, fearing it might happen to them. In a 1990 newspaper survey in Seoul, South Korea, women identified fear of sexual assault as a major cause of stress in their lives (Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center 1991). New evidence from the United States suggests that the scars of victimisation can also lead to lower future educational attainment and income levels for women who are abused.

Nevertheless, rape victims who survive are opposed blamed and mentally coerced to such an extent that many prefer suicide than face the society. A rape survivor may be harassed, ostracised, even ridiculed. Unless a woman is killed during the assault, her motives and behaviour are questioned by her family and friends, while receiving medical treatment in the attitude of the police, and, if the case goes to trial, in the courts of law.

"Is it really possible to rape a non-consenting woman?" This remark entirely shifts the responsibility of the assault on the victim, implying that she had "asked for it" or she enjoyed the assault and that's why she didn't bother to escape the situation. It absolves men from their responsibility and deviant behaviour with the argument that the victim could do something if she really wanted not to be raped. In this situation, either her death or signs of severe physical injuries would prove that she tried her best to escape the situation. Moreover, it is a biological fact that an aroused man is capable of penetration in any female orifice, particularly when she is pinned down, thereby making it almost impossible for the women to escape, the Montreal Health Press writes. Worst still, conditioned from birth to esteem herself as passive, nurturing, gentle and socially trained to please others, it becomes difficult for the victim to combat the assaultive situation.

The Canadian Advisory Council estimates that 62 per cent of rape survivors are physically injured in the attack and 9 per cent of those are severely beaten.

"Women should wear purdah (head-to-toe covering) to ensure that innocent men do not get unnecessarily excited by women's bodies and are not unconsciously forced into becoming rapists. If women do not want to fall prey to such men, they should take the necessary precautions instead of forever blaming the men." This was a comment made by a parliamentarian of the ruling Barisan National Party during the floor debates on reform of rape laws in the Malaysian Parliament. How surprising! Women are supposed to restrict their own freedom, curb their behaviour and dress sense, and be constantly aware of how others judge them.

A girl's biological receptivity has branded her someone who is "asking for it", sexually aggressive, promiscuous and loose. The rape in itself may define her morality as "loose", once again blaming her behaviour and appearance as provocative. We still come across people who condemn women for being in the wrong place in the wrong time, implying that women are responsible for the rape that took place.

All the above irrational and irrelevant beliefs are constructed to protect and safeguard man's fatal motive. Moreover, when we talk of social justice and rights, "whatever the morality of the woman in question, soical justice demands that a women's consent is necessary for each act of sexual intercourse, whatever her appearance, behaviour or sexual history".

One can be the victim of sexual assault perpetrated by someone known, say on dates by boyfriends, by relatives, or by strangers. Studies have shown that pleading and crying for help rather makes women more vulnerable, than when she fights back-both verbally as well as physically. Men turn out to be more determined when they find the victim crying and yelling for help; everybody tries to take advantage of the passive beings. In doing so, rapists try to exercise power and dominance over those who they perceive as easy victims.

When a woman is going with someone she does not know well or try to meet in a public place, she should go with a close friend as far as possible. It is always advisable to carry certain amount of money in the purse for emergencies. She should also have the guts to refuse a situation proposal for any sexual activity, and she does not need to give an explanation or show politeness to a person who does not respect her feelings. Hence, she should excuse herself and find an easy way out.

Preventing sexual coercion in a friendship depends on an open, frank communication. Sometimes, staying away from the person for a while to make him feel that you didn't at all like the way he behaved with you may work. A threat of public action is also enough to prevent a woman from being entangled in case with her boss or professionals. If she is alone in her house and somebody does enter, she should make sure the door is unlocked and have an idea where to get help from.

Try to avoid lonely streets with no lights, at nights, but in case a woman finds hersef being followed or tried to be touched, speak up strongly and in a loud voice to try to stop the man from doing so and at the same time keep an alternative thought (defense) of protecting herself, the MHP advised.

More importantly, a woman should always be alert regarding the issue, be strong and selfconfident to combat the situation. She should not be passive and submissive so that she is in an advantageous position to be used and coerced by others; it is up to the women to construct themselves the way they want to become. They should also learn to be their own watchdog.

Blaming the victim for the assault perpetrated on her should be discouraged, as she herself is in an emotional turmoil after such an incidence. She is rather in need of societal support; hence a humane response to the victim should not be one of ridicule or making her feel guilty and shame. She should rather be encouraged to help herself readjust and reintegrate back into the family and society.

Hope

Let us hope to see the society as not constructed only for men where they can easily undermine a woman's feelings and rights for mere carnal pleasure. Although treatment may help prevent future abuse of women, true prevention requires creating a generation of individuals who see sexual assault on women as inappropriate.

Buying Results

By Bijay Aryal

NOW the SLC results are close at hand. Going by past practice, within a week or so, they should be out. Over two lakh students throughout the country are keeping their fingers crossed as to their fate in the closing year of their school life. Those students who do not expect to be listed in the Top Ten slots are no less eager for the results than those who are eyeing the Top Ten list. The former category are interested in whether they get through or held up; the latter have no fear of failing but of how much percentage they get. Those not coveting the Top of the SLC Pops are interested in whether they come out in plain first division or in flying colours, placing them in the Top-ten.

Teachers of schools are also very much interested. But in English-medium private schools, the owners of the schools are no less interested than the students themselves are. Good performance in the SLC results will mean a demand cheque readily to be cashed in the form of hefty admission fees and a large number of students. Not so good results may have a negative impact on income.

Newspapers have started writing that the owners of some of the boarding schools in Kathmandu have been making rounds of officials concerned with full briefcases in their hands in attempts to influence the Topers' List. The names of some of the persons alleged to be trying to do so have been published in those newspapers. They represent some of the schools that have already, more than once, hit the bull's eye in the results in past years.

Several years ago, the Education Ministry had discontinued the practice of bringing out the Toppers' List. Educational officials including then education secretary had told the press that they had tried their utmost to prevent the play of money in influencing the top results, but in vain. That is why they had decided to discontinue the practice of announcing the toppers.

But the rich and powerful schools including those that are currently named in newspaper reports were alleged to have used their money power to restore the system. Even some politicians started lobbying for them. Then the system came back the next year. Government school managers do not try to influence results becasue they have no vested interests to serve. Why are some private schools only being charged with this nefarious practice? That is because of their vested interests.

Last year's SLC Toppers' List was challenged and brought to the attention of the Commission of Investigation of Abuse of Authority. It is seeing the case, but strangely enough, no decision has been taken on it so far.

Top Ten system does not perform a useful service. A much better thing would be to put various categories of students into their proper categories. The way the three divisions have been devised calls for an urgent need for reform. For example, a difference of ten per cent marks separates second division from third division. But even a difference of 25 or more per cent marks makes no difference between a first division and a superior category.

Fee Hike

Salary hikes for Karmacharis but hikes of every kind against the man in the street. Private schools have already started hiking student fees. They do not have to interact with parents. They just increase the amount in the monthly bills and send them to parents with the implicit message of "Take it or take out your wards " which the hapless parents are forced to obey.

How much will they raise by way of a fee increase and how much will they have to pay their staff by way of a salary hike -- the school managements do not seem to match this. Salary hike, then a fee hike of even greater order, will give them an additional hefty profit. Major fee hikes in mind-session cannot be justified. Some of the burden the school managements should be prepared to share until new academic session starts. The "heads-I-win-the-tails-you-lose" approach of private schools deserve a crackdown. But who will bell the cat?