The Brutality of Rape in India
Motives. Nature. Outcome. These are three dimensions of an action that differ based on context.
Rape is the action, and I am trying to understand the motives that propel Indian men to rape, violently and fatally so, the women in India. By no means am I saying that India is the only country where rape happens or that fatal rape is inclusively done by Indian men. It is not.
Historically and fundamentally, India’s culture is a vibrant tapestry woven from centuries of history, diverse religions, and a rich array of traditions that everyone comes to celebrate together. There is a deep-rooted sense of community and belonging that stems amidst everything, we like to call it unity in diversity. India is home to numerous languages, each with its own unique script and dialect, and a multitude of religions which we have celebrated through a plethora of festivals together. Other than that, it is also our art and architecture that has continually brought us together, no matter the language that we speak. There are the intricate carvings of ancient temples and then the majestic Mughal forts and palaces. We also have our traditional arts like classical dance forms (Bharatanatyam, Kathak), music (Carnatic, Hindustani), and crafts (Madhubani painting, pottery) which continue to thrive, preserving the essence of our cultural identity.
Finally, and most importantly to me, there is the warmth and hospitality of our people, the respect for elders, and how we are always willing to stop and help (or have a long chat with) any stranger on the street. The beauty of our culture.
Now let’s pivot to the death of it.
I realize that media plays a big role in it (and perhaps I am now a part of it too) but why is there consensus amongst the people in India that we have some of the most violent and fatal (gang) rapes in the world? Perhaps it is against the canvas of our beautiful culture that the slash of blood causes a stark contrast.
The science (or lack) of it.
An average of 90 rapes a day were reported in India in 2022. Astonishing – but likely inaccurate. Countries like Botswana, Lesotho, and South Africa have some of the highest reported rates of rape per 100,000 people. In contrast, India’s reported rape rate is lower. Why is the number not accurate? Well, where do I start? In a sentence: there is fear of retaliation, societal stigmas surrounding victims, and a lack of confidence in police investigations. This skepticism is justified. A substantial number of rape cases are dropped during the investigation phase. Even if they make it through, the conviction remains alarmingly low at 30%. The sad part is – numbers don’t mean much here. One thing is clear, though. Rapes happen. Many of them don’t get reported. Investigations are slow and poorly done for the cases that make it through. And only when someone brutally dies does a case make it to the headlines – and still there is a chance that the rapists get away with unjustifiable punishments.
India’s gendered society.
It is highly categorized. Even our language gives nouns genders – kursi, zameen, pyaar, gussa – and this isn’t bad. Until it seeps into social and familial rules.
There is a world in India which is woven with gender threads, where rigid norms and a prevailing male bias are etched into our very essence even before we take our first breath. No one will shed a tear at the birth of a son – it is an occasion of great joy and respect for the family. Yet, at the birth of a daughter, families can even split apart, let alone celebrate. Let’s not forget that it is also often the wife that is blamed, even though biology suggests that the Y chromosome needed to form a son actually needs to come from the sperm.
Past that, you see that the Indian society is largely a patriarchal one. The idea that men are superior to women still runs deep. In places where such norms are strong, rural areas for instance, you see that there is hardly any expression of love. Love is not normal. And somehow if it is, it trickles from parents and grandparents, to son, furniture, pebbles, food, rats, ducks, everything in between, and then daughters and wives. Of course, then, that’s what the children grow up seeing. This is sad for women but even more tragic for men. Beta, ladke rote nahi hai. Boys are taught to and prevented from showing any “feminine” qualities, so they can’t love, hurt, or show any emotions other than anger. I love the way Tara puts it: “these rules cripple and degrade even those that patriarchy apparently favors”.
Masculinity.
Normally, being a man is about the properties you own, the power you have (in India, this typically means how much you can get away with), the bangla, gaadi, bank balance, vacations… But when you add the lens of socioeconomic status, boys and men in low-income areas, this identity is redefined under the shadow of patriarchy. When you’re on the lower end of the socioeconomic chain, as a man, masculinity becomes about the things that you can control – as the author of Why Men Rape says, “sexual scorekeeping, risk-taking, strength, having obedient sisters and girlfriends, and success at crime”. Committing acts of sexual violence thus becomes bigger than just ‘penis privilege’. It’s a trophy against inanimate objects to win the sex prowess race among their friends. Hence the prevalence of gangrape in India.
Let’s circle back to Media but dial back in time.
India has over 1 billion people, and with more than 1500 movies being rolled out by Bollywood each year, around 300 million people are influenced by the storylines. There’s a reason why they say that cinemas are a mirror to society. But what are our people being influenced by? For starters, the role gender plays in displaying romance, and no I don’t just mean boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love. I mean – boy sees girl, falls in love at first sight, her worth goes up by that, somehow where he has to “rescue” her and whisk her away to safety. No one questions whether she wants it, it is just assumed that she does. To you and me maybe it’s just a story. But how about to those men who feel like this reinforces their definition of masculinity.
I got this from the book Why Men Rape. In a viral FB post, film critic Reema Moudgil critiques the portrayal of gender dynamics in Bollywood films over the decades. She highlights how male characters often exhibited problematic behavior towards female characters, which was romanticized or normalized in the context of the story. For instance, Raj Kapoor’s character in Awaara (1951) slaps and manhandles Nargis, while Shammi Kapoor’s characters frequently engaged in jovial stalking, as seen in An Evening in Paris (1967). Then there was a shift in the 1970s and 1980s, entered angry young men, where they became even less respectful towards women. Amitabh Bachchan’s characters catcalled and doused Kimi Katkar with a hose in Hum, slut-shamed Zeenat Aman in Dostana, and kidnapped Rati Agnihotri in Coolie. All of this was depicted as romantic or acceptable, and sure enough, the tradition continues. In 2013, Shahid Kapoor chased an annoyed Ileana D’Cruz singing, “Khaali-peeli, khaali-peeli rokne ka nahi, tera peecha karoon toh tokne ka nahi. Hai tujhpe right mera…” Moudgil’s post was a thought-provoking commentary on the evolution of these portrayals and their impact on societal attitudes.
The latest is Animal – a film that broke records and grossed over ₹600 crore (approximately $71 million) globally within its first week. But it has received hate because it glorifies violent and abusive behavior by its male protagonist. His hyper-violence and disrespect towards female characters have sparked a debate about the ethical responsibilities of filmmakers in portraying gender relations. It’s important. Bollywood sets the boundaries for what is acceptable and what is romantic. People watch. People learn. People do.
Finally, let’s talk about pornography.
I wish I could understand why Indian men were so aroused by the news of the recent Kolkata rape and murder case such that they made it a trending search on Pornhub.
There is no other way to say it than this – porn dehumanizes people towards women. It makes it okay for sex to have some form of violence, reinforces rape myths, and perpetuates the idea that sex is about men, for men, and by men. The digital and internet boom in India made porn accessible to the population, and so that form of media became widely consumed. To be fair, despite the evidence, there are some opinions on how the availability of porn has remove the taboo surrounding sex which is neutral, if not positive. I disagree.
There is another point to note. In India, and I have experienced this firsthand, there is no sex education. And so, for young boys, their first teacher often becomes porn – and that is scary because the impact becomes tenfold. At such a young, moldable age, porn is what they start referencing. It almost becomes an addiction and so it only follows that real-life would have to be more than what porn portrays for the person to feel satiated.
End.
It's very hard to say whether these are isolated, backless claims, or something deeper and more meaningful. But what remains is the understanding that violent sexual acts are deeply rooted in patriarchal norms, gender inequality, and societal attitudes that devalue women. Factors such as hypersexualized media, the influence of pornography, and cultural beliefs about male superiority contribute to a mindset where men feel entitled to exert power and control over women.
I pray for the families who have lost their daughters to brutal gangrapes and for them to be able to find some peace in their lives again.
I love India, even though it is increasingly becoming harder to do that.
I hope the people change so that our women feel safe to walk in its streets again, and for me to call it home again.
Works that I read and referenced, with some notes and links to help guide you
- Crimes against women in India: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-62830634
- Context of why it happens, 2022 stats After Kolkata Rape Case, India Asks Why It Can’t Protect Women - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
- Georgetown women peace and security index 2023 Women, Peace & Security Index (georgetown.edu)
- Women demand more ‘When will this stop?’: India’s women demand freedom and safety after yet another rape and murder | The Straits Times
- High cases, low conviction, no fear of law, and some cases Women demand more ‘When will this stop?’: India’s women demand freedom and safety after yet another rape and murder | The Straits Times
- Rising crimes against Indian women in five charts (bbc.com)
- Demographics With majority of rape victims in 18-30 age group, a new report calls for safety measures for working women (msn.com)
- Context Rape in India - Wikipedia
- About the case: What is Nirbhaya case? | What is Nirbhaya case full story? | India News - Times of India (indiatimes.com)
- Government did wrong The Indian State Is Responsible For Exponential Rise In Rape And Murder Cases (msn.com)
- Opinion | In India’s Gang Rape Culture, All Women Are Victims - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
- Some hints as to why it is normalized now, and even more aggressive than before Has rape become normalized in India? – DW – 03/05/2024
- Book: Why Men Rape: Kaushal, Tara: Amazon.in: Books A British sociologist who studied rapists in the prisons of India came up with 3 major reasons
- Sexual assault is not about sexual gratification but about dominating people. The psychology of a rapist – DW – 09/07/2020 Sherry Hamby told DW that in some cultures, patriarchy and dominance are expressed through a kind of "dehumanization" in which women are seen as inferior beings to men. This makes it much easier for women to become the targets of aggression
- Cultures that foster beliefs of perceived male superiority and social and cultural inferiority of women are most likely to have sexual violence. Indian Journal of Psychiatry (lww.com) Indian Journal of Psychiatry (lww.com) Also sex ratio. Power for men – not necessarily about gratification.
- Religion and politics. The Rape that Woke Up India: Hindu Imagination and the Rape of Jyoti Singh Pandey Hindu Imagination and the Rape of Jyoti Singh Pandey on JSTOR
- Patriarchy, different cases URDHVA MULLA DECEMBER 2019-2020 (researchgate.net) socio cultural factors.
- Rape culture. Shame for women, crime of honour for men. Religion is a significant conjuncture where patriarchal power meets communal power. Proceedings of International Conference on Social Sciences, Languages (alborearpress.com)
- The History Behind The Rise Of Hyper-Masculinity in Indian Cinema - Worldcrunch -> Bollywood portrayal of gender
- Animal movie: 'Animal' Global Box Office Breaks Records Despite Controversy (collider.com)
- Conviction Why so many rape investigations are dropped before a suspect is charged (theconversation.com)
I might not have been able to record all the sources I read (I often spent time at night reading through articles and stories on reddit without logging what I read) but I think this is quite exhaustive. I hope you find it insightful, and I am sorry if I caused you any sorrow.
