The New Normal... Rape?

Only one thing remains fixed in today's newspaper's and magazines - A woman has been raped somewhere. 

A woman is raped, a family is asked for dowry in exchange for their daughter's hand in marriage, a mother is told to abort her baby just because it's a girl & they need a boy to survive the lineage, a girl is sold into prostitution, a girl is not given the freedom to pursue her education. I feel ashamed as a man on letting other men do all this.

For us Indians', we are always told by our elders that Devi Durga is the Shakti, he equivalent of strength and hard-work. Then where does the mentality of tagging a female as a weakling come from? The first step towards rape is eve-teasing, disrespecting a woman and undermining a women's strength. Any male hitting a woman or undermining her doesn't make him a 'Man', it just confirms his position as a coward. What makes a man 'Man' is when he defends a female and protects her in a society where she is ill-treated. Let us not forget, it is because of a woman that we came into this world. A girl is always told to go with someone if she wants to go somewhere, or not to go out after the dark? Why? Why can't she go out alone or in the dark? 

It is because of us, that such a society is created where a female cannot live her own life according to her terms. Why must a woman be afraid to live in a world that she has created? Why must a woman face the stigma of rape and the culprit just gets a mere sentence in jail, or worse yet, roam around freely on a bail? Why? 

I strongly recommend maximum penalty in the cases of rape & domestic violence. 

Why must we turn a blind eye when a female is in dire need of help? Let me remind you, today its just her, tomorrow it could be your mother, sister, wife, aunt or friend. 

We, the youth are the voice of today - and together we must break the wall surrounding our minds and accept that a woman can lead, take charge and they must never be looked down upon.We must voice our stand and create such a society where another woman doesn't have the fear of living freely or else, we are not fit to call ourselves Men. 

Ashneel J Prasad is  the Oceania (New Zealand/ Fiji) correspondent of JeevanMag.com A Fijian of Indian descent, Ashneel is currently a student of B.A communications at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand.