A Psychological Outlook On
Domestic Violence On Women

By Dr. Niranjan Prasad Upadhyay

VIOLENCE is an obstruction for accomplishment of objectives of equality, development and peace. It violates, impairs and nullifies human rights and basic freedoms. Failure to protect and promote their rights and freedoms are a matter of great concern to all the developing and developed countries. The patriarchal view of society gives men higher value than women. It is taken for granted that men should dominate women in politics, economics, and the social world including family life and interpersonal relationship. This is still seen as normal and natural practices in various aspects of modern society in many parts of the world.

Fear

Social scientists state that almost all girls as they grow into womanhood are taught fear. Fear is the form in which the female internalizes both chivalry and the double standard. Her fear results in a passive rather than active response to male aggression. She may become paralyzed with fear, restrict her behaviour (i.e., not to go out alone, not to do anything without her partner’s permission), try to appease her attacker, and worry about how she can prevent a future attack. The passive women are taught to regard themselves as helpless, unable to act, unable even to perceive, in no way self –sufficient. In order to confront violence in our patriarchal society, women must use their own strength as an energy source for reform. In all societies, to a greater or lesser degree, women are subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse that cuts across lines of income, class and culture. Violence against women is proving to be an effective weapon in the hands of man through which they can exploit women and establish their supremacy.

Social Psychologists highlight that women spend more time in household chores and childcare, while men spend more time in unsupervised play. At the same time they remark that female spend two thirds of their time doing household work, while male spend two third of their time in leisure. American Journal of Personality and Social psychology conducted a study of over 300 heterosexual college students according to which, 15 per cent of the women had been victims of date rape, and 78 per cent had been the recipient of some form of sexual coercion, most often unwanted touching of the women’s bodies.

Especially, unemployed and lower-income men reportedly abuse their wives more than employed and higher- income men do (Journal of Family Violence, 1998). Frustration or stress might explain why unemployed and blue–collar workers have higher rate of martial violence than other men. Social scientists have looked for differences between men who batter and men who do not. Men who engage in wife abuse are more likely to have a history of alcohol abuse and of witnessing physical abuse in the family as children. Also social researchers focus that not all men violently attack their spouses when they drink. Nepalese researchers have found that women face different types of psychological problems related to sexual harassment at workplace i.e. degradation of physical and mental health, decrease in earning, loss of job etc. In Nepal, domestic violence against women takes different forms. Under a broad definition, violence against women includes: sexual abuse and torture, women trafficking, rape, incest, sexual harassment, dowry and bride price, rough treatment of women, marital rape, traditional form of violence, mental torment, verbal abuse, and gender discrimination. The government has come forward with a board policy framework that consists of awareness creation, advocacy, networking and social mobilization.

The abuse of women by their male partners is among the most pervasive and dangerous forms of gender-based violence. Developed and developing countries psychologists have brilliantly remarked that violence raise diversified problems like anxiety, depression and sleeplessness. Also it can generate extreme state of dependency as well as severe symptoms that comprise the post-traumatic stress disorders experienced by victims of violence as well as by victims of rape.

UNICEF Regional Office For South Asia (1997) has stressed that in the Mahabharat, women were made to parade in the nude and they are made to do the same today too. It is widely accepted that violence against women and girls whether in public or private life, is an atrocious issue. There is increased awareness and commitment to prevent and combat violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, which violates and impairs their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Along with improving health care and literacy for women, education for girls is the single greatest initiation of human development. It imparts girls with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed by them to make the most of their abilities, to lead healthier lives and to protect themselves from discrimination and violence. Psychologists and sociologists have remarked that violence is the consequence of economic, psychological, social, cultural, environmental, and educational problems in society. Many Nepalese NGO’s have been active in creating public awareness against violence.

Psychologically, violence is unseen, and perpetuated; it is an insidious but pervasive instrument of oppression and destruction for the most vulnerable members of the family, children and women. Stopping violence against woman is not just a matter of punishing individual acts. The issue is to change the perception - so deep seated as often unconscious - that women are fundamentally of less value than men.

Sustained Move

In conclusion, violence eradication is not a simple and one day work. So, joint efforts are needed. A grass root effort at awareness generation is of utmost importance to nip the problem at the bud. Mass media- both audio-visual and print materials are playing very crucial role to keep the public informed about the enormity and proportion of this shameful and dehumanizing problem. Government of Nepal has identified gender equality and women’s empowerment as major policy, has also encouraged the government to get rid of all forms of bias against women and to work in close teamwork with civil societies.

US’s Changing Priorities In South Asia

By Nishchal Nath Pandey

CHANGING paradigms of inter-state relations especially after the events of September 11 deserve much analysis and scrutiny as they have a bearing on South Asia as a whole and Nepal in particular. The approach of the United States towards not only India and Pakistan but even China have been at the center stage, prone to strategic shifts and swings, after all nobody had ever imagined that such a dramatic modification can come about in the conduct of contemporary international relations.

According to Stratfor global intelligence company, "The Bush administration’s heavy push for fast track authority on trade deals reveals that it views it as a political and security tool that allows the US to extend free trade deals to states that prove cooperative politically." And here China seemingly gains both politically and economically because as the global war against terrorism has also contained Muslim fanatics of China’s Muslim dominated areas, China’s firm and determined stand against terrorism both that attempt and that harbor them has come about as a partner of the US against the currently undergoing crusade.

After the hunt for Bin Laden is over, the US will want to see its relations with Pakistan in a holistic standpoint. It cannot wish to have an unstable Pakistan and this is now more pertinent than ever before. According to South Asia Monitor’s latest analysis on "The US and South Asia: New Priorities, Familiar Interests", "The United States will want to decrease violence in Kashmir, so as to reduce the risk of an India-Pakistan confrontation." Consistent with this study, it has also been said that economic aid to Pakistan will be an important element in the relations between the two and the US will make it a point to see that Pakistan does not feel left out especially in the light of thousands of Afghani refugees currently stranded in the refugee camps in Pakistan.

The visit of the National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra to Washington after the attacks in Washington and New York, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh’s visit in October demonstrates that India, wants to use this period not only in solidifying its relations with the world’s only superpower but more so in "preventing Pakistan from becoming the driver of US regional policy". In actuality, the progress of the bilateral relations over the years has been based on economics. The success of the Indian IT professionals in the silicon valley and the astounding achievement of the Non-resident Indians (named NR-eyes) enforced not only a strong pro-India lobby in the Congress but even created an atmosphere where a realistic approach towards the largest democracy was a must. Today, the two countrys’ common anxiety on the menaces of terrorism has become a reason of an added attachment.

The horrific terrorist attack in the Indian parliament has further heightened the acuteness of South Asia’s predicament already named "the most dangerous place on earth" by Former President Clinton. The attacks deliberately carried out on the citadel of India’s democratic credentials have alarmed all those believing in the sanctity of live and let live. Deplored in the strongest possible terms by both His Majesty the King and Prime Minister Deuba along with leaders of various political parties, the incident attests additional rationale that only a concerted and cooperative effort to curtail terrorism can be successful on a sustained basis. The US has called for restraint, a plausible plea essentially because both India and Pakistan are now declared nuclear weapon states and even a skirmish between the two can lead to a calamity in South Asia.

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld warned Europe on Tuesday that London, Paris, Berlin and other cities could become targets for terrorist strikes like those on America that killed more than 3 thousand people. Rumsfeld told NATO Defense ministers that the events of Sep. 11 were examples of unpredictable attacks that might be unleashed in "tumultuous decades ahead". As regards South Asia however, there was no forecast from the defense secretary but it is a widely held anticipation that US’s policy needs to be more comprehensible keeping in mind the vulnerability and the hazy scene that it currently exhibits.

Bush administration has had to cope with the mishap of terrorism, as it was yet to settle down in implementing its foreign policy priorities. The statements of Collin Powell in Pakistan and India indicate the US’s tight spot as to how to balance its relationship with the two countries which after the events in the Indian parliament has become even more testing. The days ahead unsurprisingly are going to be even more problematic.

International terrorism obviously puts at risk U.S. foreign and domestic security policy goals. Terrorism erodes international stability- a major foreign and economic policy objective for the United States. But, South Asia’s current disorder is a testing case. President Bush, according to spokesman Ari Fleischer surmises that, "this is a very difficult situation in the region and one that could spiral out of control." President Bush wants India and Pakistan to "share information, work with each other and take no action that would in any way hinder the war against terrorism". (Hindustan Times, De. 19th 2001). At the same time Secretary of State Powell has said that the US would want India and Pakistan to go after a common enemy (terrorist organizations) "instead of going after each other". Whether the two arch rivals will listen to this is a different question altogether.

Prithvi Narayan Shah I

By Guna Dev Bhattarai

THE demise of Yakshya Malla (1482) marked the signal of the disintegration of the early medieval glory of the Mallas. The divisions of the valley among the sons o Yakshya automatically weakened its stately existence. Vijayapur and Chaudandi, the principalities of Makwanpur, the Choubisi, and the Baisi were not likely to be called states in the strict sense. In short, there was no power strong enough to unite all the disintegrated forces into a cohesive one.

India was in the grip of European Powers and the British in particular. The Moghul Emperors of the north, the Marathas, the Nizams of Hyderabad, and the Sultans of Mysore of the south were struggling for their survival. There was no unity among themselves and that is why the British adopted such a policy as the existing powers of India might not combine themselves to drive out the British from India. Thus Nepal needed a strong and earnestly determined person to fuse the disintegrated forces into a united and strong state. Fortunately Prithvi Narayan Shah, the Raja of Gorkha, built a sizeable kingdom called Nepal.

Narabhupal Shah (1714-42 A.D.) was the father of Prithvi Narayan Shah. The former attempted to expand the frontier of his state but was badly defeated by the forces of Jaya Prakash Malla on the banks of the Trishuli river. The defeat made him somewhat despondent. He died in 1742 A.D.

Every year on Poush 27 (January 11 according to the Gregorian calender) we celebrate Prithvi Jayanti in honour of Bada Maharajad-hiraja (the Great King) Prithvinarayan Shah, the architect of modern Nepal. Chandra Prabhavati, the eldest queen of Narabhupal, had given birth to a son but he died untimely. Queen Kaushalya-vati was the mother of Prithvi but Chandra Prabhavati became the guardian mother of Prithvi. She played a major role in shaping the destiny of Prithvi.

Under her proper guardianship Prithvi became a promising youth. In course of time he became militarily sound. The defeat of his father in the hands of Jaya Prakash Malla made him determined to launch military expedition against Jaya Prakash. Prithvi occupied Nuwakot in his second attempt. In the courses of time he occupied Makwanpur Kirtipur and the adjoining regions of the Valley. At that time the valley rulers had been entangled in their domestic rivalries. That is why Prithvi found a golden opportunity to exploit the degrading situations of the valley.

Jaya Prakash Malla, the last ruler of Kathmandu, inspite of being courageous and patriot was the most unfortunate ruler. Immediately after he succeeded his father Jagat Jaya Malla in 1736 A.D. he faced a series of troubles created by his own countries including his wife Dayavati. The treacherous courtiers and Dayavati associated with Taudhik Kazi in particular, installed Jyoti Prakash son of Jaya, on the throne of Kathmandu. Jaya Prakash had been fleeing from one place to another for four years. At last, with the help of his trusted forces, he thwarted the evil designs of his staunch enemies and regained his throne. Nevertheless, he found himself in trouble because Prithvi Narayan was busy occupying the other regions of Kathmandu.

The Pradhans of Patan and some nobles of Kathmandu were in league with Prithvi against Jaya Prakash. As the Valley rulers were divided Prithvi missed no opportunity to strike one by one. Under such circumstances only Jaya Prakash stood firm to face the guantled thrown by Prithvi. He tried his best to make other rulers of the valley realise the imminent danger of being vanquished if they failed to come to his rescue but they turned a deaf ear to his farsightedness.

‘A drowning man catches the last straw’ goes an adage, Jaya Prakash should have requested the adversaries of Gorkha to get rid of Prithvi’s military expedition but he requested the authorities of the East India Company to give him military assistance so that Prithvi might be driven away from the valley. Accordingly, the concerned authorities of the company complying with the request of Jaya Prakash sent a contingent under the command of Capt. Kinlock. The Captain set out to capture the fort of Sindhuli. The forces who were not accostomed to fight in the hilly regions were routed by the Gorkhalis to the effect Jaya was left alone to reconcile to his fate. Eventually in 1825 B.S. (1760 A.D.) Jaya Prakash fought tooth and nail but to no purpose. First he fled to Patan where he could not get asylum, then went stright to Bhadgaon. After reaching Bhadgaon Jaya took the other two rulers on his side to fight to a finish but it had become too late. Eventually the whole of the valley came under Prithvi Narayan Shah. Jayaprakash being wounded during the fight died at Aryaghat. Ranjit Malla, the ruler of Bhadgaon, was sent to Kashi and Tejnarsingh Malla of Patan was imprisoned. Thus the valley rulers had to reap their follies and lost their principalities. Only Jaya Prakash Malla can be regarded, to a large extent, as a great hero who preferred a glorious death to an ignoble life.