are Goa CM Digambar Kamat and Congress MP Shantaram Naik for their views that the Russian rape victim was — for lack of better words — ‘asking for it’.
Do you believe that Goa’s image has taken a beating by this incident? This is not the first such case. Do you believe Goa will be seen as an unsafe place?
I don’t agree. First, you should go to the root cause of this case. What was this lady doing so late in the night with some people? Why did she accompany this man in this car? These are some of the questions which have to be answered.
Rape is a heinous crime but “an alleged rape of a lady who moves with strangers for days together even beyond the middle of the night is to be treated on different footings,” said Naik.
You know what, millions of other think likewise, so I’ll just bundle them together and present this Dude of the Week to all those men and women. Go enjoy.
8 comments
Comments feed for this article
December 17, 2009 at 2:56 am
Shishir
Although they have put forth their ideas in a very very crass way, they do have a point. Can you predict the behaviour of a person in a different country following a different culture? Are your actions interpreted in the same fashion at home as they are in a foreign land? But these are still no excuses for rape.
December 17, 2009 at 2:57 pm
docmitasha
Culture, religion, traditions, beliefs, values, behavior, etiquette, different points of view, etc etc.
Differences in any of these are never a point in question.
NOTHING makes rape okay. If a man from a different culture behaves differently in a foreign land and the natives interpret it as “asking for it,” does that make his rape okay? No, never. It shouldn’t. The basis of the claim that some female victims “ask for it”? That men can’t control their temptation and their pent up sexual frustration. Why dress and behave like this, female, when you know we can’t take it? That shouldn’t sound reasonable to anyone sane.
So, to the commentor above, you say there are no excuses for rape, which I commend you for. And thus what these men are saying makes NO sense, and they definitely do not make a valid point. A Russian woman in India excited men by behaving a certain ‘open’ way. If we say that is a valid point, then a demure Chinese woman exciting men in a Western culture by behaving in a way they consider inviting can also be condoned. It makes the whole issue completely subjective, when the fact is that rape is rape is rape. No man/woman deserves rape, no matter how he/she behaves.
December 17, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Deepak Iyer
@docmitasha : I was stunned for a while when the comment before I realized it wasn’t directed at me. Well put, not sure what I can add to that.
@Shishir : I think docmitasha has said whatever I had to say.
December 17, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Shishir
sorry if my thoughts came across like that. but i seriously do not think anything justifies rape. I am just saying that foreigners should be warned about what is considered right and wrong for their own safety. i sincerely apoligise if i hurt anyone.
December 17, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Shishir
And i forgot to put this one in the last comment. I do not contest anything said by docmitasha. I agree whole-heartedly. It’s just that after working 12 hrs continuouosly, I didn’t have the patience to see how my words could be interpreted.
December 17, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Deepak Iyer
@Shishir : No offense taken, but I’m sure you realize there are plenty who would have the view that docmitasha spoke out against.
December 18, 2009 at 12:14 am
Shishir
I respect everyone’s views and I’m not against anyone, neither am i speaking out against the victim. I just want to say that there are certain things like how you wouldn’t accept eatables from strangers in trains which people know are suspicious activities. There should be such guidelines to prevent such mishaps with foreigners. Please don’t mis-interpret what I’m saying.
December 18, 2009 at 12:17 am
Deepak Iyer
@Shishir : I agree that it might be useful to have certain guidelines for travelers.
The problem here was that post hoc, politicians blamed the victim thereby condoning the wrong ideals that are already so prevalent in our society.