The Other Side of the Indian Rape Story

by fulltimestudent 86 Replies latest social current

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  nugget

  There can be no justification for the brutal rape and murder of another person. I appreciate that they lived in terrible poverty and that they have families of their own but what is telling is that the children in the family are all out at work and the son left education due to being beaten by a teacher and the parents solution was to find him work not fight for him to get an education.

  People are commodities even within a family and that is sad. It is also true that women are not always valued in India and are disposed of with violence if they are seen as an inconvenience. However none of that gives and excuse for what happened. Any society that allows men to brutalise someone else and behave with such depravity may have questions to answer but these men knew right from wrong and they knew what they were doing was wrong. The Independent has given a glimpse of the family background of this man but I do not hink it is justifying what he did.
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  SunnyDays

  Mamochan13 said:

  Fulltime student posted an article by a respectable paper which tries to do exactly that - provide information that could give some insight into why this person did what he did. The OP is not condoning the action in any way by trying to find an explanation.

  There is never any excuse for rape, brutality against women, murder. Understanding why it happens is important.

  I think this might have been just an unfortunate choice of thread title. It sort of sets people off right from the start. The information on life in India is interesting to consider as a factor, but I don't think most people are interested in hearing the rapists' "side".
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  still thinking

  There are many factors involved in why people rape. None of them are a good enough excuse...there is no excuse.

  And I agree with sunny days...the thread title was an unfortunate choice of words.

  Cultural beliefs can and do play a part in rape. Society's attitudes towards women can and do play a part in rape. Idolizing celebrities that rape condones rape..just look at Mike Tyson, a convicted rapist.

  I am not condemning the poster of this thread for posting this article. My response is to the rape.

  If a person rapes another, they are personally responsible, regardless of the society they live in. There is no excuse.
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  Justitia Themis

  Fulltime, I believe you brought the ire of the board down upon yourself.

  The title of your thread indicates that you are addressing “the other side” of the story. Most people appeared to have interpreted your title to mean that you think the article presents valid moral or legal justifications/rationalizations for the “other side.” Personally, I agree with their interpretation of your title.

  However, you claim you were just trying to enhance general understanding of the social challenges in India. If so, your title should have indicated that.

  As the article and you note, poor, lower caste men (I would add women) in India face challenges that Westerners struggle even to imagine. Nevertheless, this case has struck a nerve even in India because of the vicious nature of the attack.

  Even if one accepts the premise (which I do not) that the only option these men have is to rape, it does not excuse raping the woman AND THEN INTERNALLY ASSAULTING HER WITH AN IRON BAR.
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  james_woods

  Justitia Themis is exactly right.

  I am starting to wonder if fulltimestudent did this just to stir up contraversy.

  The notion that people rape because they want sex is absurd - rape is a crime of violence and control, not of erotic passion.

  The notion that people rape because they live in poverty is so stupid as to not even bear comment.

  The notion that this crime should be viewed by the west as excusable because of poverty is idiotic and immoral in itself.

  I am going to remember this ludicrous thread for a long, long time.
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  yesidid

  Thank you James:

  "The notion that this crime should be viewed by the west as excusable because of poverty is idiotic and immoral in itself."

  Yours are a mirror reflection of my thoughts.
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  cofty

  Where did anybody even imply it was excusable?
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  james_woods

  Where did anybody even imply it was excusable?

  What does this sound like to you, Cofty? It sounds like an apology to me. For one thing, these notions (poverty, hopelessness, etc.) are irrelevant to the act of rape and murder.

  I'm posting this story, not to defend an indefensible act, but to try to provide some balance. The fact is that so many Indians exist in a poverty so deep that it's difficult for westerners to even understand. The youngest of the rapists in the now world known rape story, according to this UK, Independent newspaper story, grew up in that world that seems hopeless. Also, for males who exist in that world, satisfaction of their personal sexual needs is as far off as their next meal. I think we should also appreciate that there is little in their future that may give hope of change.
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  glenster

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_in_India
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_India
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  brinjen

  It's pretty much a given that whatever your political leanings are... whether you support a welfare system or not... most are going to agree that there is never an excuse for rape. Poverty and lack of sex of completely separate issues. Rape is a violent act, not sexual. There is some room there (in the way of finding a reason) with the underlying lack of respect for life... some. However, what of the millions of men who are living in poverty who do not rape? Seems pretty thin to me...

  Aside from the rape epidemic, India appears to be a pretty violent place for a woman in general. Acid throwings, higher domestic violence, trafficking etc. Seems to me the real underlying problem is a lack of respect for women there... the article is looking from the wrong angle entirely.