Why aren’t women respected?

This question is haunting me day and night since I read about the rape of a 5-year old girl child. I couldn’t sleep or sit in peace until I took up some time to just ponder upon it. When a 23-year old student was raped in Delhi last December, protests were held, laws were changed and women all over the country were given the assurance that the country will become a better place for them. All those meaningless actions were taken to placate the public, specifically women activists.

In the past, when a woman was raped, it was said again and again that she brought it unto herself by dressing provocatively and by behaving shamelessly (God only know what those people meant by making such ridiculous statements). Now I have one question. How did that five-year old provoked that man to kidnap and rape her? I wonder how can a man lust after a 5-year old kid? Or is that a psychological problem? In fact, is raping of women just a case of lust and not more than that? Isn’t an ultimate goal of raping a woman humiliation? Isn’t it a mentality to teach her a lesson for having the temerity to stand for something? Isn’t it a way of men showing women that no matter how educated they become, how independent they become, they will be always helpless against a man?


And if that isn’t the case, why do we need laws and punishments to protect women? Why can’t women wear what they want to wear without worrying about the safety? Why can’t they frequent the places (or bars for that matter) without worrying about her reputation? Why can’t they just roam on the roads in the middle of the night if they feel like doing that without frantically checking behind them and around them every now and then?

The answer is simple. Unfortunately, the society is ruled by men (women are trying to change that but it’s going to take ages to change the scenario) and men thrive on fear. Fear from the weaker living beings because it gives them power, and women are a perfect target for that as women are weak when it comes to physical strength. (However, a woman can be a lethal soldier if she puts her mind to it. It’s just a matter of determination. When I say women are weak physically, I am talking about women who don’t exercise or take classes for self defense.) Generally, women don’t take out time to physically train to protect themselves. They take it for granted that they are living in a civilized society, wherein all the human beings are respected for what they are. And men simply take advantage of this thinking. They pounce on a helpless female, be it a child, a young woman or an old lady. By raping a female, a man just wants to humiliate her, establish his power over her and revel in her terror.

Are we still such a primitive society wherein we give into our baser instincts to humiliate the weaker, helpless human being? If that’s the case, I think each and every female should muster their resources and take an action to change the game. Let the hunter be hunted. Let the criminal become victim. Maybe that will teach them a lesson. Or will it?