Yet another discussion in Twitter made me realize that the media fixes our focus on certain issues, states etc. It all started with the BBC article on Haryana and "Why rural sexual violence remains rife in India"http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20003610 … The reasons for the same has been blogged, discussed fought over upteen times by many. The following are some of the reasons that we have been hearing and is reported by BBC.
This means that while the nation focus on Haryana, rapists in other states are getting away. What attracts the media towards Haryana? The Khaps?
"I'll tell you the main reason for these rapes," explains Suresh Koth, one of the elders.
"Just look at what's in the newspapers, on television. Topless women. This is what's corrupting our youth. After all this is India, not Europe."
One council elder was reported as saying that girls should be forced to marry young to protect them from rapists. Others routinely blame Western influences.But when I tweeted that topless women are elsewhere too but why rape happens mostly in Haryana, I was asked if there is a basis for "rape happens mostly in Haryana". This made me check into existing reports and the result was scary. Haryana is behind some other states! Please have a look at the following chart:
This means that while the nation focus on Haryana, rapists in other states are getting away. What attracts the media towards Haryana? The Khaps?
Now if you are wondering like my friend if MP has more rapes due to to it's high population then why not Punjab (479) and Chhatisgarh (1053) which is similar in population to Haryana (733) ?
When it comes to major cities Delhi (453) is a hopeless case and Mumbai (221) comes second in the incidence of rape.
And if less women are reporting to the police in Haryana, the media should be picking up even less. So are the women in MP least bothered when they are raped? Or is the local and national media hesitant to print it? If so why?
Ahmedbad in Gujarat, Asansol in WB, Dhanbad & Jamshedpur in Jhakarnd, also Bangalore in Karnataka were the best cities for women and children during year 2009 since no rape was reported. Unfortunately it has changed drastically. I have added the 2009 figures later.
But why is our media fixated on Haryana? To shame someone? The government in power? But whatever, it is good if authorities compared such data to see why rapes occur in some states/cities and not in others. What are the factors that aid the rapists? The media did report in general about but when it comes to individual incidence the readers as well as the media seem to prefer Haryana. Until I looked at this report I was under the impression that there is no state worse than Haryana. Also I was under the impression that Bombay is a women friendly city but although it is not as bad as Delhi, it still comes second.
As for Kerala, it is worse. It has also become number one for overall crimes. But I do wonder if it because crimes are reported without any fear in Kerala unlike some other states.
The original reports can be downloaded from this site and the following is a copy of the discussed matter.
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| Incidence of Rape in Year 2009 - State Wise |
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| Incidence of Rape in Major Cities - Year 2009 |
Think this was posted under a different post..
ReplyDeleteanilkurup has left a new comment on your post "Get Paid for Blogging":
I was not aware or did not think of this point until you mentioned in your post. Perhaps the media has an agenda in projecting Haryana as one of the frenzied State in matters of rape.
If you remember, not so long ago we had a comrade Chief Minister in Kerala who rubbished rape and likened it to having a cup of tea. He said that in the West it was like having a cup of tea and nothing more.
If the alleged reason for provocation is dressing and women themselves , not so long ago Kerala must have had the most serious rape mella as men may have had violent libidos as woman were not allowed to cover their breast.
The reason is simple. Lackadaisical law and its discriminatory application; Woman’s unwillingness due to the social stigma that the hypocrisy of the society that tag her unfairly even though she is the victim;
Most of all lack of stiffer punishment on the statute.
Anil: yes Kerala should have been the rape state but then is the current situation the result of the covering up? The men were used to seeing their women uncovered and now only imagination rules them. Even the saree is being discarded these days.. the sari let them indulge with their senses. Maybe women all over need to cover up less to let the men get used to women!
Deletend yes.. strict laws but then countries like KSA have them but still rape continues..
I vote for less covering up :)
even if media is biased, atleast they are bringing attention to a crime..
ReplyDeleteRenu: Yes they are reporting, but the bias means that rapes are not getting noticed in other states worse than Haryana.
DeleteIn Kerala the rate looks high becos the awareness is very high and crimes do get reported. Thats one of reason we are one of the highest when it comes to alcohol consumption. Every drop sold in Kerala is accounted for.
ReplyDeleteA warm welcome to my blog Kenny.. do come often and leave your valuable comments.
ReplyDeleteAs for Kerala, I did mention the same. The Keralites are not afraid of reporting and maybe this is the reason. But even under violent crimes, Kerala gets first which is true since it is mostly in Kerala that one gets killed in the name of a politics. But the paradox is that it is also in Kerala that the leaders gets mocked the most.
That is a bold and rare opinion "to bare more.."
ReplyDeleteIn KSA and other bigoted countries though the full length dress covers women from head to toe and if as they claim have less incidence of rape and molestation , women are the fodder for men in those places. I was incensed when I saw one fat buffalo of a man in Arabic attire walking nonchalantly through the Mall and three fully clad ( covered) women following nimbly a few feet behind.
I strongly feel that strict and stringent law and punishment without any discrimination is the only solution. In fact a rapist must be stoned to death.
Anil: I believe in countries like KSA I doubt whether the incidence of rape is less. But then countries like UK and USA has more incidence of rape even when punishment is stringent. But then these countries are better in reporting and their definition of rape may also differ. But India tops it all when it comes to rape and stands second to USA., the following the rape per 1000..
DeleteNorway 938
Panama * 996
New Zealand 1129
Japan 1289
Netherlands 1530
Poland 1567
Spain 1578
Nicaragua 1829
Botswana 1865
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 2587
Belgium 2991
Colombia 3149
Thailand 4636
Russian Federation 4907
Sweden 5960
Germany 7724
Mexico 14993
United Kingdom (England and Wales) 15934
India 22172
United States of America 84767
This was from year 2010.... as for KSA following must be one reason ..the victim is also punished so no reporting is done..
DeleteUnder Sharia law, generally enforced by the government, the courts will punish a rapist with anything from flogging to execution. As there is no penal code in Saudi Arabia, there is no written law which specifically criminalizes rape or prescribes its punishment. The rape victim is often punished as well, if she had first entered the rapist's company in violation of purdah. There is no prohibition against spousal or statutory rape. Most rape cases are unreported, because victims fear namus, reduced marriage prospects, accusations of adultery, or imprisonment.[
Liechtenstein 0
ReplyDeleteAndorra 1
Armenia 11
Malta * 11
Saint Kitts and Nevis 15
Azerbaijan 16
Belize 21
Albania 24
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 28
Grenada 32
Bosnia and Herzegovina 46
Mauritius 51
Slovenia 63
Serbia 72
Bahamas 78
Latvia 78
Estonia 81
Georgia 82
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China 112
Guyana 117
Croatia 141
Lithuania 208
Bulgaria 211
Greece 215
Hungary 246
Kyrgyzstan 314
Mongolia 342
Republic of Moldova 368
Portugal 424
Ireland 479
United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) 498
Switzerland * 543
Canada 576
Ukraine 635
Jamaica 668
El Salvador 681
Senegal 693
Uganda 709
Finland 818
Austria 875
data for KSA is missing
I'm surprised with the rates of countries like Austria/Switzerland and Finland.
ReplyDeleteNo data from Uncle Sam? And from India with the rich heritage?
Well countries like KSA does not consider women to have rights over her body, faith or no faith. It is tribal barbarism and of faith in cloak of petro dollars.
By the way I'm impressed by your laying out the data.
Anil.dont know why there is not much data on ksa.
ReplyDeleteAs for data when google is there, a little searching, sorting etc can do wonders. I cant think of a life without google.
hi hk..
ReplyDeletei am veering slightly off course with this comment - interestingly rape is high on the election agenda in the USA. As you may know, the republicans are somewhat against abortion rights and one fella called Todd Aikin, a senator stated that rape victims do not get pregnant. in fact he said - that women had a biological defense that could block conception if they were forced into intercourse. he added that according to what he had heard "from doctors," pregnancy resulting from cases of rape was "really rare."
"If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. He added that abortion was still not justified even if conception did occur.
so don't be surprised, even advanced countries have such jokers..
Maddy: Did read about it.. and also that if a rape victim conceives, then it is God given! Each country has it's share of jokers! and they get voted to power too!
ReplyDelete