Rape incidence: How high is high?
HAS our society started to rot from inside? If not, then why incidence of rape all across the country has risen so alarmingly? Young women and minor girls are not safe anywhere! Neither in towns, nor in villages. Why some men behave like animals? But wait, do animals rape? No, they don't. They follow a biological clock and respond accordingly.
The notions of values, morals and principles in people in society, in the rural areas in particular, seem to have disintegrated in the last twenty years. Sexual violence, especially rape, is being viewed almost as a mundane affair. But there was a time when rape of a village girl by local goons was something unheard of. Once in a while reports of dacoits picking up a young girl from a village household hit the headlines. That's all.
But today, we read harrowing tales of girls and women being raped by hooligans, and most unfortunately reportedly by men who belong to some of the major political parties of the country. Most recently, reports of some student leaders of the ruling party unleashing an orgy of rape have only helped in taking the name of the political party to the dust. What becomes most shocking is when we hear that senior politicians and some partisan members of the law enforcing agencies try to influence the legal system to get those "boys" off the hook. So much for good governance.
When vulgarity of such magnitude at one point is perceived as normal affair, a nation must pay a heavy price. The Biblical stories tell us that ancient towns named Sodom and Gomorrah were razed to the ground by God's wrath when the people of those two towns indulged themselves in endless orgy of libidinal gratification that included drunkenness and rape besides other forms of carnal caprices.
Prophets were sent to the people of the two towns to spread the words of caution and encourage them to come to the path of redemption. But the wicked men and women were not interested. Gluttony, fighting and sexual orgies continued unabashedly. When nothing worked the prophets gave up and left the towns. Soon after, God acted quickly and decisively. Today, there is no trace of the two towns.
Well, those are not mere stories, but are mentioned abundantly in the holy scriptures. We are supposed to learn lessons from them. Nations that did so have been able to create better societies for the citizens. Yes, rape and other forms of sexual violence are present even in the highly developed societies, but the laws are equally severe and active in giving the culprits stern punishment, often death sentence when rape is followed by homicide.
Well, the less we talk about our legal system the better when it comes to rape. When such a despicable crime is being committed every other day, we hardly hear the top leaders giving strict instructions to the law enforcers to apprehend the culprits. They never say..."anyone… party men or not…student leaders or not… we want to see them brought to the court in shackles and treated like loathsome criminals."
It is equally condemnable that when any criminal is branded as a student leader, we see a change in the attitude of the police officials. They start to call different people and talk in a hush, hush voice. Soon instructions come via cell phones and the police officers get busy. The so-called students and student leaders look happy as they get the green signal to walk out of the police station. So, despite the promises of the central leaders, law enforcers treat ordinary people and those who do politics differently.
We keep hearing that police officials show reluctance in arresting local level political workers and student leaders in fear of getting a transfer order to Khagrachari. Please tell us that we have heard the wrong thing. When political workers and student leaders get protection from local politicians and the police for committing a serious crime like rape, they get emboldened and commit more such crimes. Therefore, if those young criminals are not caught and given severe punishment today, this society of ours will be overrun by hardened criminals tomorrow, and a time will come when they would dare to enter our houses in broad daylight to pick up our daughters.
The onus of creating a crime-free, just and friendly society rests with the political party in power as well the major opposition parties. They should equally exert pressure on the law enforcing agencies to curb crime. But, in this country, opposition political parties rejoice when crime level begins to go up. They keep quiet and never offer any help to save the people from the criminals. They do so to use the crime statistics to woo voters during the next election. So, you see, politics is all about getting elected to power.
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