The Lifted Veil

Crazy, happy times

2011-04-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

It's been so long since I have written in my beautiful, pink blog. I can't get rid of the happy fuzzies I get when I read e mails written by the marvelous people who bother to read my blog. I can't shake off the guilt of having completely abandoned writing altogether! But life has been oddly busy all this time. For starters, I am now an aunt to a beautiful baby girl! She came into this world six weeks early on 29th of January this year (no regrets on that one. That was six weeks less of dealing with a very hormonal sister!) Her name is Naisha (it means "special" in Sanskrit) and she has the best smile in the whole world!

Amidst all the nappy changing and lullaby singing, I also got selected by my dream college for a Masters in Women's Studies (what a lot of blog material would that be!) It's all the good things I could hope for. And more. Moving to another city is a pain but Dayyum beybeh! This is exciting!

On a more bloggish note, I recommend all of you to read Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues. It's easily one of the most inspiring works I have read!

SC supports pregnant students

2010-07-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

Even though India is still amazingly conservative on topics like dating, live-in relationships and premarital sex, its Supreme Court has made some radical rulings in the past. After giving a nod to live-in relationships and declaring premarital sex as not an offence, the SC is now asking educational institutions to be more considerate to their pregnant students by relaxing attendance rules for them. What is so great about this order is that single pregnant women are also included in this consideration. In India, it is no secret that an unwed mother is disapproved of and an illegitimate child stigmatized for life. It is therefore an exceptionally drastic step for the highest judicial body to take.

"If any woman candidate is deprived or detained in any of the semesters just on the ground that she could not attend classes being in advanced stage of pregnancy or due to delivery, such an act would not only be completely in negation of the conscience of the Constitution but also of women’s rights and gender equality this nation has long been striving for," the court observed.

Minor on Minor

2010-07-05T00:18:00.000-07:00

6/63, Turf View, Hastings was an address I used for the longest time in my life. It's where I grew up for six wonderful years! It's where I made friends, lost friends, fell in love, got my heart broken, learnt how to drive, had my first accident, got my eyebrows done the first time-in short, nearly all my important memories are associated with that one address. A few days back, every single one of those memories was replaced by a horrifying incident that I never in my wildest dreams imagined would happen there! Some of my friends, while innocently hanging out on the rooftop of a building, came across the molested and murdered body of a five year old girl. If you think this is bad, the details that came out in the newspapers the next day will make you miss a heartbeat. Her molesters and murderers were two boys aged 14 and 12. Not only did they end a little girl's life brutally, they also went down and played football with their friends after their work was done.

What turns two boys, barely in their teens, brutal rapists and thoughtless murderers? Who and what do we blame? The parents, for their inability to teach their children the basic values of humanity? The media, for their complete failure in putting across any kind of positive message ? The society and the education system, for forcefully keeping away from children the knowledge that helps them deal with changes in their body and in their environment?

I cannot think of a more unhealthy environment for children to grow up in than the one we have today. Sure our parents did not share much with us either. Sure we secretly watched TV serials that we were told not to. Sure we huddled together secretly in a corner and chuckled over "dirty adult jokes". But not many of us grew sexually deranged. For today's kids its different (An instance can be found in this post). Their minds mature faster than their bodies. They are exposed to television, internet and other technology from their childhood. They are aware of the fact that they live in a world where power is everything. They know sex crimes are on a rise, politicians are corrupt and money gets you friends. In a world like this, it is important that they get proper and continual guidance from their guardians! Children NEED sex education classes. Children NEED to be told about puberty. They NEED to know all of this so their sexual energy is properly channelised. So they don't learn about such things from pornography! It's time to let go of the taboos of the past. You can't protect your children by hiding the truth.

I am sorry I was raped

2010-06-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

(Anderson, age 14, courtesy Freedom From Abuse)

After years of having to deal with trauma all on her own, 28-year old Tina Anderson finally came out in the open about her ordeal. More than ten years ago, a 15 year old Tina had been raped by a then Baptist Deacon, Ernest Willis. The effect of this rape was a permanent one for along with the emotional and physical scars, Tina was left with a baby growing in her womb. Like a lot of traumatized women, Tina turned to her Faith for healing. The nightmare that followed left her mute for the thirteen years till present. She was forced by her Pastor, Chuck Phelps, to "confess" in front of the entire congregation. While she was made to talk of her out of wedlock pregnancy, she was not allowed to mention the cause for it. While her speech was being crafted, Phelp's wife asked her " Did you enjoy it?"

Anderson, currently residing in Arizona, is now mother to three more children and wife to a loving and supportive husband. Encouragement from news channels, lawyers, police and the Independent Fundamental Baptist support group, helped her come to terms with her trauma and finally land her perpetrator in jail. Willis has been charged with two counts of rape and two counts of having sex with a minor. Presently he has been released on bail of $100,000 but will be arraigned on June 16th in Concord District Court. Anderson hopes to work in future with victims like herself who had no one to talk to.

Yemeni Child Brides say NO!

2010-05-19T00:13:00.000-07:00

You know how parents are always worried of what new trend their teenagers will throw at them?Well, the parents of Yemen have a radically different new trend to deal with. The country has managed to successfully get under the nerves of their young teenage girls who have now put their foot down and are filing for divorce!Yes, you read that right.In a country where young girls are forced into marriage and subsequently sexual relationships long before they even hit puberty, the child brides are finally heading to the court to get the marriages annulled.

The source of the strength can be traced down to the crusade of a little girl named Nujood who had been forced into a marriage with her family's thirty-something deliveryman at the age of ten. In her recently published brave autobiography I am Nujood,Age 10 and Divorced, Nujood, now twelve, recalls in horrific details about how her mother failed to voice her disapproval on the match, how her "husband" forced himself on her right after their marriage and how her mother-in-law encouraged her husband to regularly beat her up. When she heard that judges in court could grant divorces, she one day sneaked out of her home, jumped into a taxi and went straight to the courthouse to look for a judge. Soon she became a celebrity of sorts among the Yemeni intellectual circles and eventually won her divorce! Her fame spread so widely that Secretary of State, United States of America, Hillary Clinton addressed her as "one of the greatest women I have ever seen!" (It is safe to say she is the only third grader to have possibly received this honour!). Though initially accused by her family of bringing shame upon them, she is now a lot more loved and respected by her father and brothers for being the chief bread winner of the householder(she supports them with her book royalties)

Nujood's victory encouraged other Yemeni girls to follow suit. Her case was closely followed with that of an eight year old's who had been forcefully married off to man in his 50s to pay off her father's debt.The latest case is that of a twelve year old's who filed for divorce with her thirty year old cousin.Most of these young brides have been taken out of school, brutally raped and beaten up by their husbands, tortured by their in-laws and are too scared to refuse their fathers or go back to their homes for fear of shaming their family.However, the tide has been changing ever since the story of the brutal death of the 12-year old Yemeni girl (which I had mentioned here) hit headlines and brought international attention to the plight of Yemeni girls.

The brave young girls have started a revolution and till now have managed to raise the legal age for marriage to 17. While a lot of work still remains to be done, this change in the mindset of young girls is a much needed progressive change! Hopefully with time they will get what is only their natural right-a childhood.

The Adventures of Salwa

2010-05-13T01:18:00.000-07:00

The League of Independent Activists (IndyACT) have come up with a novel idea for spreading awareness about sexual harassment faced by women. The campaign, titled "The Adventures of Salwa," aims at helping women combat various forms of harassment and abuse both in the public and private domains of their lives.

The campaign is the product of the beliefs and genius of five women who feel the need to be aware of and equipped to deal with everyday harassment and the resulting trauma. To achieve their objective, the campaign follows a series of steps ranging from featuring Salwa in all major social networking sites to holding meetings for victims of harassment to deal with their trauma.

The animated video shows Salwa working by her computer when she is summoned by her boss. On entering her boss’s office, she finds him holding a letter certifying her promotion. As she happily goes to take the letter from him, he suddenly leans forward, attempting to kiss her. An infuriated Salwa smacks the boss with her handbag and walks out in a huff.

The first part of the story is not a very uncommon one. It is the “walking out” that most of us are unable to do — the reason of course being the fear of the repercussions! We understand that we will face further persecution on letting go our job while our perpetrators will escape unscathed. In India, it’s only been six years since sexual harassment has been given the recognition of a criminal offense(an amazing story behind it too!some other blogpost maybe!). Yet, the condition of women at work and in the streets has not improved much! In fact, this form of expression is so often used by men to subjugate women, it has become a hidden, almost normal part of our lives.

Undoubtedly, therefore, this “Salwation” comes as a fresh lease on life for the Lebanese women and a gentle reminder to stand up against harassment for the rest of the women in the world!

Wars, Women and Wowness

2010-05-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

"The sprites of fiery termagants in flame.
Mount up, and take a Salamander's name"
-Rape Of the Lock, Alexander Pope.

For a number of reasons ranging from very sensible to absolutely senseless, women aren't allowed to serve in the infantry of the Indian Army. The chivalric code renders women almost impossible of survival when left on their own without manly protection. Smelling salts and satin gowns are the best a woman can hope for. The world wasn't always like this though. This post is about Amazons from different parts of the world and time lines!Here are some women who screamed "SCREW YOU" as a battle cry and kicked some ass.Hard.

1.The Trung Sisters- Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, daughters and later wives of powerful lords, are credited with resisting the Chinese and basically creating a nation out of Vietnam! Trac's husband, a brave rebel, was executed and Trac herself was brutally raped. Obviously, the Han Chinese picked the wrong girl to mess with. The sisters raised an army of 80,000 women, trained 36 of them(including their mother) to be generals and drove the Chinese out of their lands in 40A.D. Together (though Nhi was the better fighter), they liberated the people of Vietnam and some sixty five fortresses. For the next three years, the successfully resisted Chinese invasion. They were however, defeated in 43 A.D as a consequence to which they committed suicide rather than be slaves.

"All the male heroes bowed their heads in submission;

Only the two sisters proudly stood up to avenge the country."

15th century Poem

2.Boudicca -Boudica's husband, Prasutagus, was the ruler of the Iceni people. Being a lot more liberated than his conterparts, he left his kingdom jointly to his two daughters. After his death however, his will was ignored, his kingdom was annexed, his wife was flogged and his daughters raped. But Boudicca was of course a warrior queen! So when the Roman governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus was busy leading a campaign on an island in Wales, Boudicca raised an army of Icenians and completely destroyed modern day Colchester, London and St Albans. She created a crisis so severe, that were it not for her eventual defeat, Nero would have withdrawn his soldiers from the island! Accounts of her death differ but it is most probable she killed herself so she would not be enslaved.

3. St Joan of Arc- The Maid of Orleans who led the French army to several victories. She was hailed as a heroine after she returned to take charge despite a wound on her neck. Heck! Even God thought she was good enough to be a Chosen One! She was however captured and later tried for heresy. The technical reason for her execution was the Biblical Clothing Law( Joan wore men's clothing. During her trial she relapsed to women's clothes but after being raped in prison, she donned men's clothing again as a sign of rebellion.) She was burnt at stake on 30th May, 1431.

4. Rani Laskhmi Bai- I know I have written about her before. But I can never say enough for her. The Lady here has been immortalized in our nursery rhymes. She fought off the British Army till her last heroic breath. Even more amazing, she did all of this with a baby strapped on to her (super mom anyone?)!

5. Beatrix Kiddo- I KNOW she does not exist but hey! It doesn't make her any less awesome! I mean, she.killed.bill! 'nuff said.

Excerpts

2010-04-27T05:51:00.000-07:00

The man who said I’d be on T.V

The man who raped my son

The man who dressed me like a school girl

And sometimes like a nun

The man who beat me when I said no

Left me a bloody muck

The man who gently locked the door

And gave me a brutal fuck

The man who killed my childhood

When I was three or four

The man who made me bleed inside

But smiled and whispered “more!”

The man who sold me to the brothel

The man who gave me to his boys

The man who stole my money and my faith

And ravaged me with toys.

The man who went scot free

Abandoned the children and the crime

The man who showed me it’s a man’s world

And left me cleaning the man grime.

"Kid"dle Me This-Child Brides of India

2010-04-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

Our maid recently got sick with chicken pox. Her replacement, a shy 20 year old with a thick layer of vermillion on her head and a bright orange sari started work today. After a few minutes, in an effort to make her comfortable my mom tried getting chatty with her. Naturally, seeing her attire my mother's first question was if she had married recently. Among the lower classes, it wasn't surprising for a woman her age to be married. What WAS surprising was her shy shake of head. The story that followed was what left us stunned. She had been married to for 12 years. No you did not hear wrong. 12 YEARS. Not just this. She also has children. Two sons(for which I am sure she must be hailed as some sort of golden wombed Goddess) aged 8 and 6. Now, of course we read about child marriages all the time. But hearing a woman exactly my age, give or take a few months, talking excitedly about her family kind of hits you in the gut!

A few days back, there was an article about a twelve year old girl in Yemen, who died along with her baby at childbirth.Some days later about an eight year old who bled to death on her "wedding night". In news today was the story of a fourteen year old who committed suicide because her parents were forcing her into a marriage with a much older man.These instances occur almost everyday in the rural parts of India.According to UNICEF’s “State of the World’s Children-2009” report, 47% of India's women aged 20–24 were married before the legal age of 18, with 56% in rural areas.

What could be the possible reason for this appalling practice? Poverty perhaps?The inability of parents to invest in a child who they believe will yield no returns? Or maybe fear of social stigma? Could they possibly feel it better to get their child married off before she had loose moral thoughts of premarital sex? Or probably just the fear of the social stigma attached to having an unmarried daughter in the house? The reasons may be many and twisted but none seem to justify the horrific tradition.

Gloria Steinem said "The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn. " Perhaps its time we cleanse ourselves from within. Learn to let go of past practices. Its funny that in a country that puts so much by "morality" such happenings should occur in the name of "family honour". And we all have a part to play in it. So next time you hear of a child marriage waiting to happen, put your foot down. There's more to be done than just be disgusted. On the bright side, the National Plan of Action for Children 2005, has set its goal to eradicate child marriage completely by 2010, and so far, its proving quite successful(statistically at least). So come on India.

Take Me Haiyya!

2010-04-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

Some days back a friend and I were out for a walk. Some time later we were ambushed by two chubby eight year olds who politely asked if they could join us for a walk. "Aww!wannabes!" we thought and allowed them , equally politely, to accompany us. Possibly ten minutes into the "walk" we started to regret the benevolence we had shown as the girls went chattering about all the trials and tribulations of junior school. And of course, the greatest of these trials were BOYS! The kids went on and yawn about how the boys were rude and smelly and rowdy. We more or less blocked our ears against their voices until we realized a change in their tone. One of them completed the sentence with "and then he said the F-Word!". My friend and I exchanged scandalized glances. Surely they could not have meant THE F-Word! WE didn't know the F-Word till we were 13(at least!)! I asked the kid how she reacted to such behavior. "I hit 'em" she answered straight back and proud!

No, I am in no way claiming young boys are slimy slugs who need to be busted, nor am I advocating violence. I am merely pointing out the kind of world kids these days are living in. And from that comes the point of this post- the importance of self defense.

The age eight was important for me. I was eight, travelling with my mother in a packed public bus. There was no place to sit and we were sort of wedged. That is when a man behind me chose to feel up my vagina. I was eight, and I had no idea what to do and how to react. I was eight, when I first knew there was a part of me that felt good when touched. I was eight, and I did NOT like it. Of course, I didn't tell my mother. I felt too scared and confused. I just cried a little when I got back home.

Years later while talking about it to my friends in college, I discovered that we had all had such an incident, in fact, many such incidents, in our lives. I had often scoffed at some of my friends who have traveled all their lives in air conditioned private cars and never known the hazards to be faced in the "real" world! I felt sadly blessed that I was, if nothing else, better equipped to face perverts than they were. I am not over rating myself. Men who feel lucky can't get away so easily with me now! I would shout, or pinch, or kick or something make sure they get what they deserve. Nevertheless I wish I did not have to have so many experiences to end up street smart!

The case need not be so with kids of today.They are much more worldly wise. They talk and hear of things we weren't exposed to till our late teenage years. They also possibly face a lot more harassment than we did. Or maybe it seems that way because the harassment actually is brought out in the open these days! So I have a MAJOR request to the parents- I know you want to keep your child's innocence intact.But please face facts here, the world is NOT the greatest place right now. Anything that your child does not know is ignorance rather than innocence. Talk to them about things that can happen to them and how they should deal with it. and please, NEVER EVER EVER make them feel as though it was their fault. there is nothing thaht can break a child's heart and faith more! And no matter how much they scream shout and protest, enroll them into karate classes. ASAP.

For us "fortunate" ones who escaped breaking bricks with our heads, here's a link I found extremely useful!-

http://www.karate-made-easy.com/self-defense-techniques-women.html

THE FERTILE PLAINS-BUSINESS OF SURROGACY IN INDIA

2010-04-14T05:42:00.000-07:00

The word “surrogate” comes from the Latin word “surrogatus” meaning substitute. A surrogate mother therefore, is one who chooses to carry a baby in her womb for another woman. With fast paced lifestyles, rise in impotency, and greater number of homosexual marriages, surrogacy is becoming a popular trend. Surrogacy is of two kinds- altruistic surrogacy, wherein a woman decides to be surrogate without any monetary compensation and commercial surrogacy, wherein the surrogate mother has to be paid in return for the deed. Commercial Surrogacy has come under a lot of scrutiny for both moral and legal complications. It is, in fact, illegal in most parts of the world.

Surprisingly, for a country which is conservative and wary of change of any kind, India was fast in becoming the only country in the world to legalise commercial surrogacy. Since the birth of her first IVF baby, Durga, on October 3^rd, 1978, India has seen rapid progress in the field of Assisted Reproductive Technology, also known as the ART. Of course, the idea of surrogacy is not new to Indians. The story of how Krishna’s, brother Balaram was taken from Devaki’s womb, and planted in Rohini’s is one we have heard at our grandmother’s knees. But what accounts for this sudden boom in the baby industry in India in recent years?

There could be three reasons chiefly contributing to this development- the foremost being the ease of procedure. In the year 2008, following the much controversial case of the infant Manji, the Supreme Court declared commercial surrogacy to be legal in India. This assured the couples opting for surrogacy a lot less legal hassle and a lot more convenience. The draft of the ART Bill recognises surrogacy agreements under the Indian Contract Act, 1872 and also provides for single persons who wish to be parents. The second factor is the economic practicality. According to the 228^th report on Need for Legislation to Regulate ART, the usual fee for surrogacy in India is around $25,000 to $30,000, that is, nearly one-third of that in developed countries like the United States of America! The third cause is of course, the most evident one- the devastating poverty. India never falls short of people who need money and therefore, never falls short of voluntary surrogates.

The reaction of Indians to this trade is very varied. While a part of the society shakes their head and frowns at the idea of commodifying a child, another section celebrates the approach as “pro-choice”. As a woman, and as a human being who empathises with the condition of the destitute, I cannot help but take a more neutral stand on the situation. Women who opt for commercial surrogacy as surrogates are mostly those who cannot afford morality. At the same time, the choice they are making is one between starvation, prostitution and commercialisation of their wombs. In a sense it’s almost as though the moneyed classes are exploiting and taking advantage of their penury. The surrogate mother in India is in no way receiving the same amount that she would get in the US. Nonetheless, she gets for her nine months of labour (no pun intended) what she would have otherwise had to struggle for, for at least fifteen years of her life. With this money she can finally afford the luxuries of having a roof over her head, having three square meals a day, educating her children or even perhaps be able to set up a small business of her own.

All said and done, the surrogate mothers do seem to be getting the worse part of the deal. For instance, the surrogate mother is required to relinquish all rights on the child at the time of birth. Although, surrogates are selected amongst women who have already had children so that they are aware of the physical, mental and emotional intensity of pregnancy, this seems too harsh a sentence on a woman who carried a child for nine months even if it wasn’t genetically hers. There is always the unavoidable post pregnancy risks-post partum depression, physical discomforts or even death at the time of childbirth. After all, though they are being treated under the best possible care, we mustn’t forget that they are mostly women from impoverished backgrounds suffering from malnutrition. By contract, the commissioning couple is to cover the life insurance of the surrogate, but that in no way compensates the loss faced by the surrogate’s family. Again, by terms of contract, the commissioning couple is to also deposit a sum of money in case of death of one or both genetic parent or divorce and subsequent unwillingness to keep the child. But should this happen, the already poverty ridden family will have to take up responsibility of yet another child.

It is impossible therefore to take either condemn or applaud the business of surrogacy in India. On the surface, the genetic parents get a baby, the baby gets a good home and the surrogate mother gets a better life for herself and her family. But there are perhaps deeper layers wherein the genetic parents maybe cheated of money and the surrogates maybe cheated of dignity. It is thus necessary that the law keep up with the times and ensure benefit for all parties involved.

Wishes for Sons

2010-04-10T12:56:00.000-07:00

i wish them cramps.
i wish them a strange town
and the last tampon.
I wish them no 7-11.

i wish them one week early
and wearing a white skirt.
i wish them one week late.

later i wish them hot flashes 
and clots like you 
wouldn't believe. let the 
flashes come when they 
meet someone special. 
let the clots come 
when they want to.

let them think they have accepted 
arrogance in the universe, 
then bring them to gynecologists 
not unlike themselves.

-Lucille Clifton

*lols evilly*

Signed, Sealed, Delivered-Dowry Deaths in India

2010-04-09T04:17:00.000-07:00

There was a point of time when daughters had an equal right over their father's property as did sons. However, under the patriarchal structure, daughters would become a part of their husband's families post marriage. Naturally therefore, this huge chunk of wealth and property was handed over to the girl at the time of her marriage so she could live comfortably for the rest of her life. This once very healthy tradition, the dowry system, has now come to be associated with nothing less than evil. And why shouldn't it be? It is the reason why the country loses so many daughters everyday due to the pure vile greed of their husbands and in-laws. The lesser the prospects for the girl, the higher her price. And parents, to save their families from the "shame" of having an unwed daughter in the house, would happily give away all their wealth, and their greatest treasure-their daughter- to such men.

Sounds pretty much medieval doesn't it? Well, welcome to the lives of thousands of Indian women in the 21st century. According to data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), a total of 2,276 female suicides due to dowry disputes were reported in 2006- that is six a day on an average! Once a part of a family that demands dowry at the time of marriage, the girl becomes an unending source of finance to her husband. Pay up or Die is the story in most of these households. It’s an unending nightmare of threats, marital rape, physical abuse and emotional torture.

May 27: Young housewife burnt alive for dowry
LUCKNOW: For nineteen-year-old Rinki dreams of a happily married life was never to be. Barely a month after her marriage, she was allegedly tortured and then set ablaze by her in-laws for dowry in Indiranagar in the small hours of Saturday. Daughter of late Gyan Chand, a fish contractor who expired a year ago, Rinki was married to Anil on April 19... However, soon after the marriage, Balakram [Anil’s father] demanded a colour television instead of a black and white one and a motorcycle as well. When Rinki’s mother failed to meet their demands, the teenage housewife was subjected to severe physical torture, allegedly by her husband and mother-in-law... On Saturday morning she [her mother] was informed that Rinki was charred to death when a kerosene lamp accidentally fell on her and her clothes caught fire. However, prima-facie it appeared that the victim was first attacked as her teeth were found broken. Injuries were also apparent on her wrist and chest.

So what can we do? To begin with, rebel at a personal level. If demands are being made of you or someone you know- regardless of subtlety of manner- turn down the marriage proposal at once. You are NOT a liability to your family and you do NOT have to be sold off into a marriage. On a social level, raise awareness, discuss such matters within your family and friend circle. A number of laws are made to protect the women of India. Use them! Some specifically dowry related laws are:-

1. The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961- According to this act, anyone who is caught in the act of taking OR giving dowry is punishable upto five years of imprisonment and/or upto 15,000 rupees worth fine(or the amount of the dowry if that is more)

Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code-This section clearly defines dowry death as “the death of a woman is caused by any burns or bodily injury or occurs otherwise than under normal circumstances within seven years of her marriage and it is shown that soon before her death she was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband or any relative of her husband for, or in connection with, any demand for dowry”. Under this section the crime is punishable for ATLEAST seven years in prison.

3. Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code-This section is to protect women from cruelty by husbands or relatives of husbands . A person accused of said cruelty can get upto three years in prison and/or fine.

Other laws may be also used as the case permits.This madness can be stopped. And we have to be the ones to stop it!

She weeps silently,

silently works,

Around her she knows,

danger lurks.

No one can hear,

her silent screams.

No one sees,

her broken dreams.

Her ears listen,

there's muffled noise-

Her in-laws' orders,

her husband's voice.

Before she knows it

the deed is done.

Some kerosene, a matchstick,

and off they run.

She burns like the Phoenix,

amidst the darkness she glows.

Except from her ashes,

she never arose.

Sunitha Krishnan fights sex slavery | Video on TED.com

2010-04-03T10:41:00.000-07:00

Sunitha Krishnan fights sex slavery | Video on TED.com

thank you Siddharth for the link.this video is a MUST watch.please do not watch it if you are prone to depression.it contains graphic violent images.

Easing Menstrual pain

2010-04-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

Its that time of the month again and its killing me. So this time, to divert my mind, I decided to share some useful things you can try at home to feel slightly better the next time you get hit by this evil pain.( Guys who think "ohwhatsthebigdeal" can keep their smart alec quips to themselves.no, its not PMS, its YOU.)

1.Food- Avoid over eating at this time. It is better to have small amounts at regular intervals throughout the day than have three large meals at one go. Take care to control salt intake as salt will cause water retention resulting in bloating. Junk food and other fatty food especially fried food are a strict no-no.Avoid meat and dairy products though fish can be very good for you.Include vegetables, especially leafy vegetables, and fruits in your diet.Anything containing caffeine- coffee, cola, chocolate is OUT OF BOUNDS as is alcohol(you have NO idea how much they could hurt). But drinking anything warm will help so tea, especially herbal tea and warm milk are your new best friends. Dates, cranberry juice and Chawanprash cleanse your blood and ease pain. Not eating healthy at this time could also give you gas. Gas+Cramps= ouchouchouch. Drink lats and lots and lots of water.( You are supposed to drink four litres everyday on normal days, so have around 5 during your periods)

2. Exercise- Exercise can do wonders in easing the pain. Walking for about 30 to 45 minutes will help relax your abdominal muscles.there are also some easy Yoga postures you could try. One is lying on your back with your knees bent,slowly bring your knees towards tour chest and "hug" them for about 5 to 10 seconds. While doing so make sure you aren't putting too much pressure on your lower back.Repeat this 10 times atleast.The second Exercise is similar but in the opposite way.Sit straight backed with your legs under you in a kneeling position-so your bottom( for want of elegance) should be touching your heals and your thighs should be touching your calves.Now put your hands behind you or in front on the floor depending on your comfort,and bend till your head touches the floor and your chest touches your knees.Again, be careful to not hurt your lower back. You could also just sit straight backed and slowly breathe in and breathe out.

3.Heat- Anything that provides heat to the abdomen would ease pain. A warm water bath can work wonders. So can a Heat Pad or a hot water bottle placed on your abdomen.

Remember, these do not work for everybody.The whole point is to just relax your muscles and get the blood flowing without hiccups.So the diet is a must but the rest is up to you. Simply lying down and listening to soothing music may also do the trick for you.Get your hubby or your mommy to do a back massage for you!I do not personally take painkillers due to an unexplained fear of stomach ulcers(yes, painkillers give you ulcers) but a lot of the people I know use non steroid ibuprofen or even oral contraceptive pills.

And now I shall go kill someone(its not YOU, its PMS). Have a Happy Period.

Mars Attacked!

2010-03-28T00:22:00.000-07:00

Gloria Steinem once famously quoted “A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle”. At one time, this might have been a liberating thing to say. Today, it is turning out to be a genuine problem. Women have progressed so much, men by and large may be nothing better than emotional baggage a woman can do without! They have established a firm sisterhood for emotional support. They’d rather rear dogs and cats than children. If they want to have children they’d adopt or go for artificial insemination. The aforementioned beings can be brought up by maternal instincts alone. Sexual needs are easily satisfied. They have complete control over their sexuality now that the society and religion is no longer up their throats on immorality of abortion and contraception. The phrase “man’s world” is fast becoming simply metaphorical.

“Assholes”, “Rapists”, “Paedophiles”, “selfish”, “immature” are a few words generally used to address men. And yet, if they are nice they are “Sissy”, “Wuss”, and “Mama’s Boy”. Sigmund Freud said, ‘The great question that has never been answered, and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my thirty years of research into the feminine soul, is "What does a woman want?"’. In her book, Godless in Eden, Fay Weldon answers “we wanted dignity” but now the needs have increased. Women want more from their men; as she further elaborates-

“Love. companionship, sex. Someone to care, to make her laugh, to understand her. More Love. Outings. More Sex. Money. Someone to teach her about food, wine, art, without noticing she needs teaching. A handsome man other girls envy, but who has eyes only for her. A good lover who can maintain sexual interest while she searches for a condom. A sensitive man who understands when the magic is gone and it’s time to move on. Someone who isn’t going to turn into a stalker, someone who isn’t depressed, but who lets her have her moods. Who never accuses her of pre menstrual tension when it’s obvious what’s going on. A really intelligent sexy charming man who shares her interests and doesn’t want her to cook dinner for him. A man her therapist approves of. Whose heart she can break but who doesn’t break hers. A man who agrees with her that women are superior to men and yet does something when the car’s clamped. Who will match her tear for tear. Who will also provide a strong male shoulder to cry on. Sex, to tell her friends. More sex, so she’s sure she’s in love with him.A man who sees her as thin even if she isn’t. Sex. Good Sex. A multi-orgasmic her, created by him...In short, a man who doesn’t exist.”

Much as this quote might earn chuckles, consider the truth of it (and chuckle some more!). A man can do no more for a woman than a woman can for a man. Then why has the burden of “unimportance” suddenly been put on men? Germaine Greer, author of The Change- Women, Aging and the Menopause, says “As far as I'm concerned, men are the product of a damaged gene. They pretend to be normal but what they're doing sitting there with benign smiles on their faces is they're manufacturing sperm”. Some may agree- let them have what we faced for centuries! But the point of feminism was never revenge! It was equality! Are we not losing the purpose of the cause? What makes us any better than the very chauvinists we fought against? Are we out of objectives that we are now reduced to this?

It is funny to crack jokes on men, it is criminal to do the same on women. It is liberating for a woman to be verbally abusive and yet uncouth for a man to be so. Any sort of flirtation may easily be seen as sexual harassment for women, when it comes to men its merely “just a bit of fun”. Infact, according to Dr Don Hine in news.com, 88.7 percent of males were more likely to face sexual harassment in their work place as opposed to 82.5 percent of women. Divorce laws and abuse laws are tipped towards women. Emotional abuse of men is passed off as “hen pecked”. If a man complains on a serious and legal level he is a whiny wimp. No wonder then, suicide rates in men is much higher than in women. And this is NOT always because women are emotionally stronger.

This is not a treatise in defence of the rights of men. It is merely a reflection on how we have strayed from the path we had started to make.

In Memoriam

2010-03-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

This does not exactly come under the umbrage of feminism but some things are so much bigger than that.This is in memory of all those who lost their lives yesterday in a Tragic Fire Accident in one of the Landmark buildings of Kolkata.

A massive fire at Kolkata’s Stephen Court, a heritage building in the heart of the city has killed 24 people and left about 18 injured, eight of whom are critical.

Firemen recovered 17 bodies overnight as they went from door to door on the 5th, 6th and 7th floor of the building. Only 12 of these bodies have been identified so far.

Stephen Court is a 150-year-old building on Park Street, home to two of the city’s best known restaurants – the iconic Flury’s and Peter Cat.

The fire began at 2.15 pm on Tuesday. It was brought under control at about 10.30 pm.

Initial findings suggest a short circuit or cylinder burst may have caused it.

The fire, that may have started in a lift between the 5th and 6th floors soon spread upwards and sideways, forcing people out of windows onto narrow parapets and ledges as they waited to be rescued. Reports said at least one woman missed her step and fell five floors below.

The fire brigade dispatched just one truck that too without proper equipments initially.the later trucks got stuck in a "traffic jam".The Government is offering 1 lakh as compensation to victims' families.(thank you.that definitely makes up for the loss.).and i can't help but be angry at people for being so careless in their lifestyles.For Godsake,GROW UP!

please pray for the dead.Lets hope such a meaningless loss of life never happens again.RIP.

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone.

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead

Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead,

Put crépe bows round the white necks of the public doves,

Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,

My working week and my Sunday rest,

My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song,

I thought that love would last forever: 'I was wrong'

The stars are not wanted now, put out every one;

Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;

Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.

For nothing now can ever come to any good.

-WH Auden,Funeral Blues

Indian Feminists

2010-03-18T13:41:00.000-07:00

For quite some time now,Indian women have been perceived as weak minded,husband appeasing,abused women.while sadly this may stand true for a majority of women still,it wasn't always the case.here is a list of Indian women from the past and present.Women whom I admire.Women who left their mark.

1. Gargi-All those who feel education is a waste on girl children must look up to this icon. Born around 800 B.C.E in the family of Garga, Gargi Vachaknavi remains one of the most renowned scholars of the Vedas even today. Her wisdom was so celebrated that she was invited to the world's first conference on philosophy convened by the then King Janaka. Known as a formidable debater she challenged the Great Sage Yajnavalkya. Their dialogue was written down as the Yogayajnavalkya Samhita- the very first treatise on what the world knows as Yoga.

2. Razia Sultana- The country was much excited when we got our first lady President in 2007.However much before Mrs Patil came to the scene,the seat in Delhi had been occupied by Razia al-Din from 1236 to 1240.She was trained to lead armies and administrate. She was also the very first woman ruler in Muslim and Turkish History.She ruled against the wishes of her powerful courtiers. She was a shrewd politician. Donned a man’s tunic and head gear as a sultan(she refused to be called Sultana,which means wife or mistress of a sultan) and contrary to the purdah custom, showed her face when leading an army. She worked towards religious tolerance in her State and encouraged academic and scientific research.

3. Rani Lakshmi Bai- After my mother, she is my most favourite woman in the world! Also known as the Indian Joan of Arc, Lakshmi Bai, the queen of Jhansi was an important icon and leader in the Great Rebellion of 1857 against the British Raj in India. When Jhansi came under threat she collected and trained a group of soldiers that included women and fought shoulder to shoulder with the ruthless British forces. She dies a brave and heroic death in the battlefield. General Sir Hugh Rose addressed her as the “most dangerous of all rebel leaders”. Not much surprising, therefore, that during the last years of freedom struggle, the first all women regiment in the History of Indian army led by Capt Lakshmi Sahgal was named the Rani of Jhansi Regiment.

4. Tarabai Shinde- Around the nineteenth century, Tarabai Shinde had begun raising and providing solutions for the existing women issues.She fought against the stifling patriarchy, ill treatment of uppercaste widows and lower caste girl children. Her book Stri Purush Tulana ("A Comparison Between Women and Men"), is regarded as the first modern Indian feminis text.

5. Roquia Sakhawat Hussain-She is a writer who has influenced the likes of Taslima Nasreen. Her worked tirelessly for the sake of gender equality. She blatantly criticised the corruption that had crept into the Islamic society.She wrote against the gender discrimination and promoted theit emancipation.

6. Mother Teresa- She was born Albanian. But since she adopted India,how can India not adopt her?Mother founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata in 1950. Today the Society of Missionaries has spread all over the world and is touching millions of lives. She received a number of peace awards for her endeavours while she humbly maintained “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world".

7. Kasturba Gandhi- the woman behind Gandhi. In a lot of ways, Kasturba Gandhi, fondly called Ba (mother), beautifully amalgamates the traditional traits of an Indian and the fiery zeal of a woman. She joined Gandhi in his political movements against the British Raj. She talked to women and children about issues like hygiene, literacy and discipline. She died while in custody in the arms of her husband.

8. Sarojini Naidu- A freedom fighter, a poet and an intellectual, Naidu proved her mettle in every field. At sixteen she travelled to England to continue her studies in King’s College, London and eventually Girton, Cambridge. She led Gandhi’s satyagraha movement post his arrest.She went againt the social custom of the day and loved and married a man outside her caste.She died in office following a heart attack in 1949.

9. Kiran Bedi- In 1972, Kiran Bedi became the first woman Police officer in India. Her sense of justice and fairness made her an exemplary law keeper(she once towed the prime minister’s car for violation of parking space). Post retirement she is still socially active and runs two NGOs simultaneously.

10. Barkha Dutt- When the country was in a state of war in the year 1999, Dutt reported live from the battlefield every minute of the war.Today she is one of the most influential journalists in the country and raises a variety of issues for the country and its government to ponder over.

Keep adding to the list!(Indira Gandhi and Ashwarya Rai do not qualify)

Gloria the Hippo

2010-03-13T23:25:00.000-08:00

Lets face it, it sucks being a woman in a world like this.There are a thousand ways to let us know how we are not good enough(cheating ex boyfriends,fashion magazines,annoying tailors,nosy aunts).Little wonder then that I am surrounded with women who are good,beautiful,strong minded and suffering from a mysterious sense of inferiority(I am thankfully not one of them because chocolates keep me happy.fat.but happy).To these lovably idiotic women I present a steaming hot feminist icon-Gloria the hippo.

She gets male attention because she is "big".She stands by her friends no matter what.She is cheerful during the toughest situations.She speaks her mind.And she chooses the better man in the end.

Way to go Glo!To you i dedicate the most eloquent words in the History of music-I like big butts and I cannot lie.

Give me my Rights,I am a Woman.

2010-03-10T08:20:00.000-08:00

For days now the country has been talking about nothing but the women's bill.The bill has been an issue of heated debate for nearly 14 years now and has finally(FINALLY) been passed.For those who do not know of it,the women's bill reserves 33% of seats in the Indian parliament for women alone.some salient features of the bill are:-

1.The bill seeks to reserve, as nearly as possible, one-third of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies

2.As nearly as possible, one third of the total number of seats reserved for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) in the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies shall be reserved for SC/ST women.

3.Reservation of seats for women shall cease to exist 15 years after the commencement of the Act.

4.(Actual) Reserved seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in the state or union territory.

On the surface,this seems like a good move.A country where women have been ill treated for ages because of superstitious beliefs,patriarchal culture or simply sado-misogynistic mindsets,such a step appears to be a huge leap forward.The bill puts a lot of power in the hands of women,its apparently a symbol of how the "times they are a'changing",it shows how modern our country is becoming,it represents a certain breaking of barriers and it gives a majority of the womenfolk hope that things will be better for them henceforth.

My question is,how does a reservation do any of these things?Since the bill was back as a dining table discussion,I (with the risk of sounding melodramatic) have been in a constant state of conflict with me.I am a woman.Here's a step that could do me good.Here's a move that's giving me an opportunity to do something for my country.Here's an action that could eventually help me better the lives of Indian women.It is to my advantage.I should be happy. Right? But the (wannabe) feminist in me says a loud and clear "WRONG".I love my country.I hate what happens to Indian women.I want to make a difference.But I want to make it on my OWN terms.I want to make it with my OWN abilities.not with the Government gifted compensation!

As a woman I feel I am losing by right to dignity by gaining my right to enter the parliament through reservation.Henceforth,nothing we do will be credited to us,our abilities,our merits.It shall always be the Government who will be responsible in making me.Men shall grumble how we women have it easy and we won’t be able to refute it.we shall always be known as the "weaker sex", the "privileged class" and we won't be able to refute it.what purpose does it solve?there have been women in the parliament before,even if not in large numbers,and how has it helped?this reservation bill is not a symbol of our fight for rights.it is a symbol of our craving for comfort and luxury and i condemn it.

Politically speaking,How will the bill prevent the election of "proxies"?how will it cure larger issues of electoral reforms?how will it ensure gender EQUALITY?how does the government plan to divide the constituencies?The bill is a mess in every sense of the word.

The bill is nothing but a compensation for the years of abuse,torture and discrimination.nothing but a symbol of hope.nothing but a tool to increase vote banks.and the sooner we women realise that,the sooner we get REAL empowerment.

"Feminazi Alert!"-how we do NOT hate men.

2010-03-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

Okay,so we pride ourselves on being the superior race,fret over our subjugation,bemoan our degradation,worry about our physical weakness(not to say we don't have a pen knife on us),scorn at the contempt and refuse to take slander.But the guys really need to understand,we do NOT hate the race of men.some people hate men,some hate women,some hate everyone!then why the stereotype?well sure we might detest some sonny-sprout who lets his libido do the thinking,but doesn't everyone(well they should anyway)?I ,atleast, do not like the so called "radical feminists" any better than the men do.feminism is all about gender equality(don't believe me?google the definition!).It only SEEMS women oriented because ,lets face it,we have been the underprivileged lot for years now.It will take a lot of time and a lot of effort to get the equality going.

But no matter how much we say otherwise,the men in our lives,whoever they are,in whatever way,are essential in shaping our independent thoughts(see?we need you for more than just carrying shopping bags!).It could be an abusive ex boyfriend or a loving grandfather,but there is ALWAYS a man behind every successful woman.So here's a list of my top five male feminists:-

DAD-My bald headed hero:).When I,his second daughter, was born,the entire family was disappointed at the thought of dad not having a son to follow him into the army.but not my baba.he brought both his girls up without any gender bias.He enrolled us in drawing classes,he enrolled us in driving classes.He even took us along during his golf sessions with his buddies(we were the only girls in the golf course!).With dad,we always knew a son would have been treated no better(perhaps worse!:D)

RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY-Often referred to as the "Father of the Bengal Renaissance", Roy fought bravely against the practice of Sati(where a widow was sacrificed on the pyre of her husband) finally managing to abolish it completely.He also crusaded against polygmay and child marriage.He was the first to publicly demand Property Inheritance Laws for women.somewhere,somehow all the Indian girls owe their lives to this man.Thank You for not giving up!

PLATO-Plato can easily be called the first politically active feminist.In Book 5 of The Republic he advocates equality in treatment of men and women.From exercise to education both genders should be exposed to same and equal knowledge.Like all the modern day feminists,he believed in empowering women by giving them rights.According to him,a woman who was powreless was a resource wasted.

ISHWAR CHANDRA VIDYASAGAR-Thank you for the music,the dance,the knowledge-the freedom.If Roy saved widows from brutal murder,Vidyasagar gave them a new life by advocating remarriage of widows.He eventually was successful in pushing through the Widow Remarriage Act in 1856 in India.He championed the cause of women's rights and education in particular.

JAFAR PANAHI- "In a world where films are made with millions of dollars, we made a film about a little girl who wants to buy a fish for less than a dollar (in The White Balloon) - this is what we're trying to show." says Panahi,the Iranian Film maker.With films such as The Circle and Offside,Panahi in his special way manages to show the world the condition of women in Iran.People wouldn't credit men with such sensibilities but...there you go!:)

Yes!Keep adding to the List!

Boy! you're a...GIRL!!!

2010-02-28T09:44:00.000-08:00

Really?You don't say!I would have never realised had you not pointed out this obvious fact to me!

You know those bizarre moments like "remember how i lost my wedding ring in hippo poop?", well recently i lost my half-artificial-front tooth while munching on French Toasts(okay so its not as bizarre but who doesn't like drama?).I was in tears from the first moment i saw the gaping hole in the mirror.There's no other way to put it,it looked hideous.I made frantic calls to dad asking him to make an appointment with the dentist.But them busybees could only see me after four days.That entire day I lived in agony.I wouldn't smile at anyone.I wouldn't talk much.And i refused to eat around others.

By the next day I was starting to feel like a hypocrite.I was always telling my girlfriends to be confident of who they are the way they are and here i was failing my own test.But could I really be blamed?Much as I claim proudly to not be a "girly girl",I love to look pretty.I love my bit of kohl when I leave the house,I love my pretty dresses and my filed nails.I love my mascara and my rouge and my funky jewellery when I am out for a party.I love my fuzz free face(even though it hurts like crazy to get rid of your moustache!).The problem was clear to me after i took a sparknotes quiz(yes,that is how i study) called "which gender are you?" .The answer,much to my cold-graveturning-tummyrumbling-toecurling-headboiling sorrow, was "you are a MAN"(and man WAS in capital letters.).It isn't my fault I am plagued with insecurities.okay,I'll give Freudian theories some credit and say men and women ARE a little different(thank you God) but the society that surrounds us is in no way innocent.Right from the time baby girls are wrapped in pink towels and baby boys in blue,we are marking the beginning of a life long gender distinction.

Any girl who prefers short hair to long,or sports to gossip or jeans to skirts is a "tomboy".Any girl who doesn't weep during movies,isn't scared of cockroaches,cannot cook to save her life is frigid and aloof.As if that is not enough,we always have a dozen fashion magazine telling us what NOT to do(pretty much everything) and we always have a dozen million of us religiously following their word too.Well,here's the deal,i love my chocolates,i love my teddy bear pajamas,i hate the bloody sight of pink,i don't like frills,i don't giggle or simper or blush,I laugh a lot and loudly too,i sit cross-legged AND i am proud to be a girly girl!(whatever heck that means!)

So when I finally went to the dentist, he started to explain to me the long painful root canal treatment that he would have to do to give me back half a tooth.and call me a coward but i said no.I can live with half a front tooth but I cannot let myself go through that pain.The dentist's reaction was funny -"it looks hideous".I gave him my brightest half toothed smile and walked out.

p.s-kudos to my male buddies for finding all my dental maladies adorable.it does help!:D

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

2010-02-22T10:12:00.000-08:00

BDD is a fast growing anxiety disorder where a person obssesses over her/his bodily image,so much so they tend to see a mirror image of themselves completely different from what we percieve of them.Take for example,the case of Rachael given below,

Undoubtedly then,the disease causes social anxieties,depression and suicidal tendencies.the symptoms could be obsessive thoughts or actions pertaining to appearance,social withdrawal,avoidant or dependent personality or repititive behavoiur(constantly checking the mirror,applying make up,setting hair etc.)

While the cause of the disease may be genetic,it may also be caused by external facors like parental or peer pressure and influence of the media.

Cure may range from medicines and antidepressants for the very initial stages,to cognitive behaviourial therapy to plastic surgery for the very serious cases.

Love and support ofcourse,never goes out of fashion!

get all your info on-http://www.medicinenet.com/body_dysmorphic_disorder/article.htm

Here Comes the Bride

2010-02-18T07:58:00.000-08:00

Its a regular Indian wedding.The bride is being petted and pampered.The groom's arrival is being anxiously anticipated.there's probably the regular shehnai playing in the background.But definitely the laughter of elated relatives fill the air.so what makes the wedding so special?so very unique?well,the groom is coming with all his pomp and splendor.What sets him apart is that he is the second groom to have married into the village of Devda,Rajasthan in a hundred and twenty years!Shailendra and Shagun are all set to be wedded in the very city which is infamous for its shameful and senseless ritual of female infanticide.Among the 70 Rajput families inhabiting the village of Devda,there are only 12 girl children.Infact,apart from the bride Shagun,there is only one girl,Chandra Kaur,who is above the age of 10.Panna Singh and his wife fought against all odds to help their baby girl live while the honourable Rajputs around them killed their daughters without emotions.Now following the footsteps of his brother (whose daughter Jayant was the first to marry in over a century!), he is giving away his daughter to her beloved.two words Panna Singh-Go You!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5578348.cms

TeeHeeHee

2010-02-17T07:17:00.000-08:00

giggle moments from google.:D

Domestic Violence Ad

2010-02-16T08:07:00.000-08:00

ok.bloody brilliant piece!this ad was banned for its violent graphic content.please do not watch it if you feel it might upset you.this is kiera knightley at her best!

The Twinkle In Her Eye

2010-02-09T10:53:00.000-08:00

I switch on the TV and hear a familiar song playing on Doordarshan after ages. "Nanhe munne bachhe teri muthhi mein kya hain?" croons the singer , "muthhi mein hain taqdeer hamari" chirp back an elated chorus of children. They're happy and secure. So happy that you cannot help but smile at their naive beliefs. You can't help but inwardly cringe as you think how quickly they will be disillusioned. Obviously they do not know big bad wolves really do exist.And Fairy Godmothers really don't. Obviously they can't even begin to imagine how many villainous brutes are craving to rob them of their childhood and make them work for their pleasure.Obviously they do not realise that in the world of grown ups they really have no peace.

Take for example,this little girl,

13 year-old Mira of Nepal was offered a job as a domestic worker in Mumbai, India. Instead she arrived at a brothel on Mumbai's Falkland Road, where tens of thousands of young women are displayed in row after row of zoo-like animal cages. Her father had been duped into giving her to a trafficker. When she refused to have sex, she was dragged into a torture chamber in a dark alley used for 'breaking-in' new girls. She was locked in a narrow, windowless room without food or water. On the fourth day, one of the madam's goondas (thug) wrestled her to the floor and banged her head against the concrete until she passed out. When she awoke, she was naked; a "rattan" cane smeared with pureed red chilli peppers shoved into her vagina. Later she was raped by the goonda. Afterwards, she complied with their demands. The madam told Mira that she had been sold to the brothel for 50,000 rupees (aboutUS$ 1,700), that she had to work until she paid off her debt. Mira was sold to a client who became her pimp. (Robert I. Freidman, "India’s Shame: Sexual Slavery and Political Corruption Are Leading to An AIDS Catastrophe," The Nation, 8 April 1996)

Mira is one of the 1.2 million child prostitutes working in India. She’s a part of that invisible section of the society who we refuse to acknowledge and in doing so, refuse to help. At a time when the “usual” little girls grow out of cuddling their dolls and start getting interested in make up and boys, children like Mira are already nursing a baby of their own,wearing cheap lipstick and seducing their clients. By the time their more fortunate counterparts are passing out of high school, they are nearly dying with AIDS or other deadly sexually transmitted diseases. To many this might seem an exaggerated account of non existent lives,but to Mira and her friends this is a daily nightmare.

Needless to say the young victims of such outrageous exploitation never really are freed from their blighted past. The tortures inflicted upon their tender bodies and minds plague them for the rest of their lives if they are fortunate enough to be emancipated. There are a lot of NGOs across the country such as Sanlaap in Kolkata, which work towards rehabilitating child victims. Their work however remains futile till the time society refuses to accept them as one of their own. Their admittance and acclimatisation is a slow and painful process. Understandably the more they are shunned and stigmatised, the more they recoil into their traumatic shell. It falls upon the celebrated middle class morality therefore to drive the point home. We need to protest against the practise and stop marginalising the victims. So the next time they are asked “Bholi bhali matvali aankhon mein kya hain?” they can honestly believe “Ankhon mein jhume ummeedon ki diwali.”

Gory facts and figures:- http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/india.htm

SIGHS,SALTS AND SINGLEDOM

2010-02-07T03:08:00.000-08:00

Its nearly here. The nightmare week for all those who haven’t yet found their dewy-lipped honey-eyed soul mates. Where ever you go you see pink fluffy ribbons, red heart shaped balloons, cute naked cupid toys and pretty packed chocolate boxes up for sale. Possibly if you had been in a relationship before, you feel a knot in your stomach as you remember the red rose that had been put secretly on your desk or the glittery card slipped secretly into your bag or if you were lucky enough to have a rich partner, the candle lit lunch at the romantic restaurant. You watch couples going mush and you think “why am I alone?”. You sigh and turn away but there’s no relief. People everywhere seem to be in love. Suddenly your happy-to-be-in-love-thank-you-very-much friend calls you up and gushes “he did the sweetest EVER thing” and you smile. You want to take hold of a jagged stone and grind it on her and her “sweetest EVER” boyfriend but you just go “awwww”. Maybe, just maybe, you shed a tear or two. Or you cry a gallon and half.

Well. Get. Over. It. Look at those happy people once again!58 percent of them will be single before summer starts. The rest before summer ends. The successful couples will end up MARRIED!(yikes!) Or heck!perhaps 20 percent will break up by Valentine’s Day itself because they EXPECTED a proposal but didn’t get it! So breathe, smile and tell yourselves the words of the legen(wait for it)dary Barney Stintson-“My life is AWESOME”[How I Met You Mother in case you aren’t retarded enough]. And hey! don’t let those committed women with their strappy stags turn their nose up at you! We are happy you have a boyfriend. We really are. We just think we can do better! Be honest, do you really miss how you had to keep a plastic smile plastered while your love would breathlessly proclaim his love for you? Do you really miss having to worry about what kind of gift would suffice as a return to the hugely expensive stupid memento of love he buys for you? How do you even BEGIN to react to the cheesy bit of poetry he wrote about the mole on the side of your nostril? And incase you were a wannabe feminist dating a ball-less douchebag(happy memories of yours truly), then do you miss having to pay for that oh so pretty candlelit lunch? You don’t do you?(If you do please stop reading this and go cry to your pillow. it’s very interested in what you might have to say.) You don’t miss it because as Gloria Steinem said,”a woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.” Guys are like scabs!when the wound starts to heal the scab will by painful and itchy. Eventually it’ll just dry up and all YOU have to do is flick it!(“flick it.”heh!)

As a single girl you

-> get to flirt all you want(added bonus-check out any ass you wish).

->don’t have to make constant excuses to those whiny complaints(“why did you find Brad Pitt hot?why did you not receive my calls?why did you not reply to my messages?why did you not say my mom is pretty?why did you dress up so much?why aren’t you dressed nicely enough?why don’t you like my spikes?why do you have to be so loud?why cant you be more affectionate?why are you holding hands in public? ).

->can have FRIENDS, go out with who you want, when you want.

-> can do a smelly fart and not apologise for it.

-> aren’t accused of PMS just because you have an opinion.

-> don’t have to look interested to what they have to say about their jobs/hobbies/inane fantasies.

-> don’t have to pretend to find them geniuses though you know they are complete idiots.

-> don’t have to spend time with their even more stupid buddies while they proudly flaunt the “bros over hos” BS.

-> can wear all your heels without being too tall.

-> wax,thread and generally punish your body only if and when YOU want to!

->don’t have to deal with pscho ex girlfriends(or worse,present girlfriends whose existence was unknown to you)

->would totally be mysterious!

Let’s also not forget,boys are sweaty and smelly and love kills creativity(look at all those sonnets on unrequited love!).So this Valentine’s Day,buy yourself a Chocolate Tart(or popcorn if you are so conscious),watch Jerry McGuire(you can actually be excited about the “you had me at hello” bit rather than “show me the money” bit) and feel good about the fact that you’re definitely not getting dumped this valentine’s day(ouch to those of you who have been)!

p.s-the write up has nothing to do with salts.

Justice For Ruchika

2009-12-28T07:56:00.000-08:00

We live in a country where the most sensitive of issues,no matter how upsetting, leave us unimpressed and indifferent.It is rare,very rare, that a case of woman abuse comes to the fore.And every time it does we realise how hopeless our condition is.the last case this hyped was that of Jessica Lal. And now we have the sad case of Ruchika Girhotra-a child of fourteen when she was molested or perhaps worse by the now SPS Rathore.

On August 11, 1990 Rathore visited Ruchika's house and met her father SC Girhotra. He told him that he should not send Ruchika abroad as she was a very promising player and that he would arrange special coaching for her. The senior cop also asked Girhotra to send Ruchika to his office on August 12, 1990 at 12 noon in connection with the same. On August 12, 1990, Ruchika along with her friend Aradhana went to play at the lawn tennis court and met Rathore.

On seeing both of them, Rathore asked Aradhana to call the tennis coach to his room. But she returned half way. "Is beech Ruchika ko akeli paa kar Rathore sahib aisi ginoni harquat pe uttar aye jo manavta ke liye kalank se bhi batar hai. Apni beti ki umar se bhi choti Ruchika se unhone chadechad ki. (In the meanwhile, finding Ruchika alone Rathore did a shameful act which is a blot on humanity. He molested Ruchika, who is younger than his daughter),"

[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ruchika-Girhotra-case-Molestation-of-minor-abuse-of-power/articleshow/5367903.cms]

Its been 19 years and Rathore is still unpunished.Ruchika's family however faced harrassment at an extraordinary speed.By September that year,Ruchika had been expelled from her school, the Sacred Heart School For Girls,Sector 26,Chandigarh under inane reasons which were later used by rathore's lawyers to their advantage.Rathore's henchmen continually harrassed Ruchika wherever she went ultimately forcing her to confine herself indoors.

Multiple cases of theft were filed against her then 10 year old brother Ashu.

On September 23 1993, Ruchika's then 13 year old brother, Ashu, was picked up in the market place near his house by police in plain clothes. They drove him in a jeep to the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Staff Office in Mansa Devi. There, he was tortured by Sub-Inspector Prem Dutt and Assistant Sub-Inspector Sewa Singh.^[18]
His hands were tied on his back and he was made to bend. His feet were tied with a weight. He was kept in this uncomfortable position for an extended period of time.^[17]
After some time, Rathore also arrived there. Ashu was then tortured further. A roller, referred to by the police as "Mussal', was rolled on his legs and thighs after four constables boarded the roller. ^[21] ^[22]
While still in illegal confinement, Ashu was taken to his house and beaten mercilessly in front of Ruchika by Rathore. Rathore then threatened her, saying that if she did not take back the complaint, her father, and then she herself, would face the same fate. ^[19]^[23] Ashu was paraded in handcuffs in his neighbourhood.^[24]
Ashu was picked up again on November 11, 1993. He was tortured again and was unable to walk due to the beatings. He was not given food or water for days at a stretch and was beaten mercilessly. He was repeatedly told to convince his sister to withdraw her complaint.^[24] He was allegedly forced to sign on blank papers, which were used by the police to show his "confessions" that he stole 11 cars.^[21] He would not be released until after his sister's suicide.^[21]
No charges were ever framed in any of these cases filed against Ashu.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruchika_Girhotra_Case]

Her father was fired from his job and his house sold off forcibly to one of Rathore's lawyers.Harrassment also followed the Prakash family who supported Ruchika's case throughout up till now and Ruchika's lawyer.

In 1993,her brother still being beaten in the police lock up,Ruchika committed suicide by consuming poison.all records pertaining to her death fer forged by Rathore and his men.in 1994.Rathore was promoted.In 1999,the case was finally dropped.

After 19 years in 2009,Rathore was convicted for 6 months and out on bail within ten minutes.such is the horrifying timeline of Ruchika's tragic story.But let us fight together not just for the justice of this one girl,but for the safety of all the girls of our country.Let us rise as one and pressurise the corrupt system into giving Justice for Ruchika.

Join the movement.

http://www.petitiononline.com/7018/petition.html

Iranian Virgin Prisoners Raped Before Execution

2009-12-12T10:02:00.000-08:00

According to the "Islamic Law" virgins will go to heaven.a chance the Iranian law keepers are not willing to take.what is the solution?why,send them a temporary husband!give them a perfect wedding night!in short,rape em and then kill em.

Its a shocking case of how man can manipulate religion to suit his perverse sexual fancies.nothing in the Quran advocates this barbaric act,this brutal miscarriage of human rights.and yet it is perfectly legal.worse,justified.forgive me,i am not an Islamopohobe,But while the whole Islamic community would rise as one against Sarcozy's ridiculous burqa ban,why would no voice be raised against such heinous misuse in the name of their religion?why would no one step forward to protect these women?where are all the scholars now?Certainly the responsibilty for their release is not of the Islamic soviety alone,but that is where the beginning has to be.my earnest request to my Muslim brothers and sisters,come up.stand strong.show the unity you are so proud of. free these unfortunate women from the pathetic condition a false rendition of Islam has reduced them to!

It is known beyond a shadow of a doubt, that during the 1980s, the rape of women political prisoners was prevalent. It was so prevalent as to make Ayatollah Montazeri, who was Khomeini’s deputy at the time, write the following to Khomeini in a letter dated October 7, 1986: “Did you know that young women are raped in some of the prisons of the Islamic Republic?”

In response, Ayatollah Khomeini wrote, “Yes! Such rapes are essential to prevent those anti Islam females from entering the heaven. If they are executed as virgins, they will enter the heaven. So, rapes are extremely important and done to prevent such elements from entering the heaven.”

Even recently, according to Iranian Parliamentary investigation committee, protestors, jailed after the disputed presidential elections, were raped in prison. Defeated Iranian presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi said in a letter to powerful cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, "A number of detainees have said that some female detainees have been raped savagely. Young boys held in detention have also been savagely raped."

Karroubi's "confidential letter" was delivered on July 29 to Rafsanjani in his capacity as head of the Assembly of Experts, the powerful body which selects and supervises the activities of the supreme leader.

A police statement issued on August 6, 2009 confirmed that serious violations took place in Kahrizak prison. The authorities said they had jailed the head of the detention centre.

Source:http://www.weeklyblitz.net/index.php?id=925

Defining Domestic Violence

2009-11-11T23:16:00.000-08:00

So what is it that we can term as "domestic violence"?All couples have their spats.All couples go through a phase where they detest and disrespect each other.In Indian homes,slapping a child for misbehaving is very common.Not all victims of domestic violence are physically beaten up.Not all victims are emotionally unfulfilled.So is Domestic Violence an abuse of power?A commiserable way to show who's the boss?

Domestic Violence needn't always be physical.It could involve making a person feel unworthy of her/himself.It could involve keeping them financially disabled forcefully.It could involve threatening or blackmailing a person about an individual close to the victim.It could involve enforcing a social isolation upon the person.A lot of times,these invisible scars run deeper and longer that the ones we can see.Domestic Violence of the worst kind is where sexual intimidation is involved.

Children invariably get involved in such horrific actions.It leads to low self confidence,poor decision making abilities,inability to trust anyone.Like in all vicious circles.most of these children grow up accepting domestic violence as a part of a normal life.In trying to protect their victimised parent,they pt themselves into a dangerous position.They often end up blaming themselves for all the wrong happenings.

While men and women can both be the victim of Domestic Violence, it is mostly women.A UN report says that as many as 70 % of married women, aged between 15 to 49 are victims of beating rape or coerced sex. According to India’s National Crime Records Bureau, a crime against women is committed every three minutes in India. The “common” crimes related to girl child and dowry already exist. Added to that,Indian women have a new problem to tackle-financial empowerment. The Hindu carried out a survey which showed that working women are facing more violence at homes. “Social disapproval, a sense of inadequacy and frustration and related stressors associated with living in poverty may increase the likelihood of men perpetrating domestic violence”,says Ms Suneeta Krishnan, an epidemiologist in RTI’s Women’s Global Health Imperative. The problem however, really lies in the mindset. A survey by the International Institute for Population Studies showed 56% of Indian women believed wife beating to be justified in certain circumstances. The reasons varied from going out without the husband's permission to cooking a bad meal!

So come on ladies, you do NOT deserve this.No “crime” is worth the trauma of domestic abuse.The Govt is there to help you.Step out and speak loud.

Legal Relief:-

http://www.indiatogether.org/manushi/issue137/laws.htm

sources:-http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=56501,http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article40166.ece?homepage=true,http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6086334.stm

2009-10-23T11:18:00.001-07:00

stupid exams wont let me breathe.i wish it were some dramatic women oppression scheme but it isn't.more on domestic abuse and other morbid musings after 4th!:(

Bell Bajao

2009-10-20T06:22:00.000-07:00

The first time the ad for the Bell Bajao Campaign got aired on T.V,my cousin's first reaction was "ghanta"(a word for bell,bullshit or some censored male body part.).In any case it was shocking that he,a gentleman to the core, would use this particular adjective for what can safely be termed a noble cause.I turned towards him eyebrows raised."What?you think this'll help?"he said.He went on to tell a story of how,when on a trip to his friend's place,they heard a wife being beaten in the neighboring flat.The two friends rushed to their house to help the lady.They did what the campaign asked them to do-they rang the bell.the husband opened the door,the wife stood cowering in the corner.They told the man to stop and that they were calling the police.In eturn they were told to "fuck off" and to "keep out of family matters".this however was not the husbannd's reaction.these very words were used by the woman,the wife,the victim.My cousin was shocked.they went back doing nothing.The woman wasnt a brainwashed,uneducated,financially weak henpecked wife.she was an intelligent,beautiful,financially independent woman who should have had no trouble leaving anytime!"What were we to do?if the victim was happy,who're we to interfere?"

who indeed?the education system educates us,the Government empowers us,the social workers support us.what is it that we need to stand on our feet and walk out for God's sake?its not right to always blame men.it really isnt.

Legalising Prostitution

2009-06-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

from whatever I have read, seen, heard and perhaps directly or indirectly experienced, I have established that "morality" religious or otherwise is something that doesnt exist.its a farce, a play of letters.and this is not a cynical view, its a realistic one.and more often than not, the burden of this morality is placed on the heads of those who dont have a voice.like the prostitutes.by legalising prostitution we are NOT promoting the trade itself but safeguarding the people involved, willingly or unwillingly, in it.To give them rights, means to allow them to protest against abuse by pimps-rape, beatings, burnings, snatching away of salaries etc.To give them rights means allowing them the right to excercise precaution through contraceptives.it means they are free from diseases.it means their children are free from diseases.it means their customers and their families are free from diseases.it means they can turn down sexual favours of their customers that they do not find in compliance with their wish.it means they can hold up their head and report against crimes without fearing punishments themselves.

that said, we also need to know how to draw the line between prejudice and injustice.they are human beings.creations of God like anyone else.and I am sure God wont grudge us if we help one of those who are less fortunate.next time think twice before calling anyone "slut"...its not a slur.not always.get over it.they need rights.they need to be protected.they can do without "morality".they cant afford it.

there are some 10 million prostitutes in India itself. 1.2 million out of this are child prostitutes.crimes against homosexual prostitutes arent even RECOGNISED by the law.how long must they keep silent?how long must they be condemned by the "keepers" of the society?how long must they be the Invisible Women in India?

Prostitution-the noble Indian custom?

2009-06-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

just when we thought the primitive Devadasi system was eradicated for good, out comes the little Bhedia community of Rajasthan which willingly sends its little girls away to red light areas in the big bad cities as a custom!

"The girls are mostly aged between 12 and 15, though some are as young as 10. They stand at the roadside along with their fathers and brothers who fix the 'price' for them."

' "Girl children in the Bedia community in Ghatoli and surrounding villages are sent to the cities to their sisters, aunts or mothers who are already in the flesh trade. They are continuously tutored right from the childhood so that they are mentally prepared to enter sex work," Shyama said.

Fathers and brothers visit the girls at regular intervals in the cities to collect the earnings. Some families have even built multi-storeyed houses with such money.

If a child is born out of wedlock to a Bedia prostitute, families bring the baby back to the village. And if the baby happens to be a girl, then there are celebrations - for it means an additional 'earning member' for the family in another 10 or 12 years.'

source:-http://www.whereincity.com/news/4/6183

INDIAN PENAL CODE-certain sections related to sexual abuse of women and children

2009-06-17T04:37:00.000-07:00

Section 293. Sale, etc., of obscene objects to young person
¹[293. Sale, etc., of obscene objects to young person.

Whoever sells, lets to hire, distributes, exhibits or circulates to any person under the age of twenty years any such obscene object as is referred to in the last preceding section, or offers or attempts so to do, shall be punished ²[on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, and, in the event of a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and also with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees].]

Section 294. Obscene acts and songs
¹[294. Obscene acts and songs

Whoever, to the annoyance of others-

(a) Does any obscene act in any public place, or

(b) Sings, recites or utters any obscene song, balled or words, in or near any public place,

Shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine, or with both.]

Section 302. Punishment for murder

Whoever commits murder shall be punished with death, or ¹[imprisonment for life] and shall also be liable to fine.

Section 323. Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt

Whoever, except in the case provided for by section 334,voluntarily causes hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

Section 324. Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means

Whoever, except in the case provided for by section 334, voluntarily causes hurt by means of any instrument for shooting, stabbing or cutting, or any instrument which, used as weapon of offence, is likely to cause death, or by means of fire or any heated substance, or by means of any poison or any corrosive substance, or by means of any explosive substance or by means of any substance which it is deleterious to the human body to inhale, to swallow, or to receive into the blood, or by means of any animal, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

Section 325. Punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt

Whoever, except in the case provided for by section 335, voluntarily causes grievous hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Section 326. Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means

Whoever, except in the case provided for by section 335, voluntarily causes grievous hurt by means of any instrument for shooting, stabbing or cutting, or any instrument which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death, or by means of fire or any heated substance, or by means of any poison or any corrosive substance, or by means of any explosive substance, or by means of any substance which it is deleterious to the human body inhale, to swallow, or to receive into the blood, or by means of any animal, shall be punished with¹[imprisonment for life], or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Section 342. Punishment for wrongful Confinement

Whoever wrongfully confines any person shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

Section 343. Wrongful confinement for three or more days

Whoever wrongfully confines any person for three days, or more, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

Section 354. Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty

Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

Section 363. Punishment for kidnapping

Whoever kidnaps any person from ¹[India] or from lawful guardianship, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Section 366. Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc.

Whoever kidnaps or abducts any woman with intent that she may be compelled, or knowing it to be likely that she will be compelled, to marry any person against her will, or in order that she may be forced or seduced to illicit intercourse, or knowing it to be likely that she will be forced or seduced to illicit intercourse shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine; ¹[and whoever, by means of criminal intimidation as defined in this Code or of abuse of authority or any other method of compulsion, induces any woman to go from any place with intent that she may be, or knowing that it is likely she will be, forced or seduced to illicit intercourse with another person shall be punished as aforesaid].

Section 366A. Procreation of minor girl
¹[366A. procreation of minor girl.

Whoever, by any means whatsoever, induces any minor girl under the age of eighteen years to go from any place or to do any act with intent that such girl may be, or knowing that it is likely that she will be, forced or seduced to illicit intercourse with another person shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.]

Section 366B. Importation of girl from foreign country
¹[366B. Importation of girl from foreign country.

Whoever imports into ²[India] from any country outside India ³[or from the State of Jammu and Kashmir] any girl under the age of twenty-one years with intent that she may be, or knowing it to be likely that she will be, forced or seduced to illicit intercourse with another person, ⁴[***] shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to ten years and shall also be liable to fine.]

Section 375. Rape
¹[Sexual offences]

1. Subs. by Act 43 of 1983, sec. 3, for the heading "Of rape".

¹[375. Rape.

A man is said to commit "rape" who, except in the case hereinafter excepted, has sexual intercourse with a woman under circumstances falling under any of the six following descriptions: -

First: - Against her will.

Secondly: -without her consent.

Thirdly: - With her consent, when her consent has been obtained by putting her or any person in whom she is interested in fear of death or of hurt.

Fourthly: -With her consent, when the man knows that he is not her husband, and that her consent is given because she believes that he is another man to whom she is or believes herself to be lawfully married.

Fifthly: - With her consent, when, at the time of giving such consent, by reason of unsoundness of mind or intoxication or the administration by him personally or through another of any stupefying or unwholesome substance, she is unable to understand the nature and consequences of that to which she gives consent.

Sixthly: - With or without her consent, when she is under sixteen years of age.

Explanation: - Penetration is sufficient to constitute the sexual intercourse necessary to the offence of rape.

Exception: -Sexual intercourse by a man with his wife, the wife not being under fifteen years of age, is not rape].

Section 376. Punishment for rape
¹[376. Punishment for rape.

(1) Whoever, except in the cases provided for by sub-section (2), commits rape shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than seven years but which may be for life or for a term which may extend to ten years and shall also be liable to fine unless the woman raped is his own wife and is not under twelve years of age, in which cases, he shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both:

Provided that the court may, for adequate and special reasons to be mentioned in the judgment, impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term of less than seven years.

(1) Whoever: -

(a) Being a police officer commits rape-

(i) Within the limits of the police station to which he is appointed; or

(ii) In the premises of any station house whether or not situated in the police station to which he is appointed; or

(iii) On a woman is his custody or in the custody of a police officer subordinate to him; or

(b) Being a public servant, takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on a woman is custody as such public servant or in the custody of a public servant subordinate to him; or

(c) Being on the management or on the staff of a jail, remand home or other place of custody established by or under any law for the time being in force or of a woman's or children's institution takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on any inmate of such jail, remand home, place or institution; or

(d) Being on the management or on the staff of a hospital, takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on a woman in that hospital; or

(e) Commits rape on a woman knowing her to be pregnant; or

(f) Commits rape when she is under twelve years of age; or

(g) Commits gang rape,

Shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may be for life and shall also be liable to fine:

Provided that the court may, for adequate and special reasons to be mentioned in the judgment, impose a sentence of imprisonment of either description for a term of less than ten years.

Explanation 1- Where a woman is raped by one or more in a group of persons acting in furtherance of their common intention, each of the persons shall be deemed to have committed gang rape within the meaning of this sub-section.

Explanation 2-"Women's or children's institution "means an institution, whether called an orphanage of a home for neglected women or children or a widows' home or by any other name, which is established and maintained for the reception and care of women or children.

Explanation: 3. - "Hospital" means the precincts of the hospital and includes the precincts of any institution for the reception and treatment of persons during convalescence or of persons requiring medical attention or rehabilitation].

Section 377. Unnatural offences

Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with ¹[imprisonment for life], or with imprisonment of either description for term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation. -Penetration is sufficient to constitute the carnal intercourse necessary to the offence described in this section.

Section 503. Criminal intimidation

Whoever threatens another with any injury to his person, reputation or property, or to the person or reputation of any one in whom that person is interested, with intent to cause alarm to that person, or to cause that person to do any act which he is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do any act which that person is legally entitled to do, as the means of avoiding the execution of such threat, commits criminal intimidation.

Explanation-A threat to inure the reputation of any deceased person in whom the person threatened is interested, is within this section.

Section 509. Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman

Whoever, intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, of that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

Section 511. Punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment

Whoever attempts to commit an offence punishable by this Code with ¹[imprisonment for life] or imprisonment, or to cause such an offence to be committed, and in such attempts does any act towards the commission of the offence, shall, where no express provision is made by this Code for the punishment of such attempt, be punished with ²[imprisonment of any description provided for the offence, for a term which may extend to one-half of the imprisonment for life or, as the case may be, one-half of the longest term of imprisonment provided for that offence], or with such fine as is provided for the offence, or with both.

Section 293. Sale, etc., of obscene objects to young person
¹[293. Sale, etc., of obscene objects to young person.

Whoever sells, lets to hire, distributes, exhibits or circulates to any person under the age of twenty years any such obscene object as is referred to in the last preceding section, or offers or attempts so to do, shall be punished ²[on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, and, in the event of a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and also with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees].]

Section 294. Obscene acts and songs
¹[294. Obscene acts and songs

Whoever, to the annoyance of others-

(a) Does any obscene act in any public place, or

(b) Sings, recites or utters any obscene song, balled or words, in or near any public place,

Shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine, or with both.]

Section 302. Punishment for murder

Whoever commits murder shall be punished with death, or ¹[imprisonment for life] and shall also be liable to fine.

Section 323. Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt

Whoever, except in the case provided for by section 334,voluntarily causes hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

Section 324. Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means

Whoever, except in the case provided for by section 334, voluntarily causes hurt by means of any instrument for shooting, stabbing or cutting, or any instrument which, used as weapon of offence, is likely to cause death, or by means of fire or any heated substance, or by means of any poison or any corrosive substance, or by means of any explosive substance or by means of any substance which it is deleterious to the human body to inhale, to swallow, or to receive into the blood, or by means of any animal, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

Section 325. Punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt

Whoever, except in the case provided for by section 335, voluntarily causes grievous hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Section 326. Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means

Whoever, except in the case provided for by section 335, voluntarily causes grievous hurt by means of any instrument for shooting, stabbing or cutting, or any instrument which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death, or by means of fire or any heated substance, or by means of any poison or any corrosive substance, or by means of any explosive substance, or by means of any substance which it is deleterious to the human body inhale, to swallow, or to receive into the blood, or by means of any animal, shall be punished with¹[imprisonment for life], or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Section 342. Punishment for wrongful Confinement

Whoever wrongfully confines any person shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

Section 343. Wrongful confinement for three or more days

Whoever wrongfully confines any person for three days, or more, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

Section 354. Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty

Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

Section 363. Punishment for kidnapping

Whoever kidnaps any person from ¹[India] or from lawful guardianship, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Section 366. Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc.

Whoever kidnaps or abducts any woman with intent that she may be compelled, or knowing it to be likely that she will be compelled, to marry any person against her will, or in order that she may be forced or seduced to illicit intercourse, or knowing it to be likely that she will be forced or seduced to illicit intercourse shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine; ¹[and whoever, by means of criminal intimidation as defined in this Code or of abuse of authority or any other method of compulsion, induces any woman to go from any place with intent that she may be, or knowing that it is likely she will be, forced or seduced to illicit intercourse with another person shall be punished as aforesaid].

Section 366A. Procreation of minor girl
¹[366A. procreation of minor girl.

Whoever, by any means whatsoever, induces any minor girl under the age of eighteen years to go from any place or to do any act with intent that such girl may be, or knowing that it is likely that she will be, forced or seduced to illicit intercourse with another person shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.]

Section 366B. Importation of girl from foreign country
¹[366B. Importation of girl from foreign country.

Whoever imports into ²[India] from any country outside India ³[or from the State of Jammu and Kashmir] any girl under the age of twenty-one years with intent that she may be, or knowing it to be likely that she will be, forced or seduced to illicit intercourse with another person, ⁴[***] shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to ten years and shall also be liable to fine.]

Section 375. Rape
¹[Sexual offences]

1. Subs. by Act 43 of 1983, sec. 3, for the heading "Of rape".

¹[375. Rape.

A man is said to commit "rape" who, except in the case hereinafter excepted, has sexual intercourse with a woman under circumstances falling under any of the six following descriptions: -

First: - Against her will.

Secondly: -without her consent.

Thirdly: - With her consent, when her consent has been obtained by putting her or any person in whom she is interested in fear of death or of hurt.

Fourthly: -With her consent, when the man knows that he is not her husband, and that her consent is given because she believes that he is another man to whom she is or believes herself to be lawfully married.

Fifthly: - With her consent, when, at the time of giving such consent, by reason of unsoundness of mind or intoxication or the administration by him personally or through another of any stupefying or unwholesome substance, she is unable to understand the nature and consequences of that to which she gives consent.

Sixthly: - With or without her consent, when she is under sixteen years of age.

Explanation: - Penetration is sufficient to constitute the sexual intercourse necessary to the offence of rape.

Exception: -Sexual intercourse by a man with his wife, the wife not being under fifteen years of age, is not rape].

Section 376. Punishment for rape
¹[376. Punishment for rape.

(1) Whoever, except in the cases provided for by sub-section (2), commits rape shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than seven years but which may be for life or for a term which may extend to ten years and shall also be liable to fine unless the woman raped is his own wife and is not under twelve years of age, in which cases, he shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both:

Provided that the court may, for adequate and special reasons to be mentioned in the judgment, impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term of less than seven years.

(1) Whoever: -

(a) Being a police officer commits rape-

(i) Within the limits of the police station to which he is appointed; or

(ii) In the premises of any station house whether or not situated in the police station to which he is appointed; or

(iii) On a woman is his custody or in the custody of a police officer subordinate to him; or

(b) Being a public servant, takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on a woman is custody as such public servant or in the custody of a public servant subordinate to him; or

(c) Being on the management or on the staff of a jail, remand home or other place of custody established by or under any law for the time being in force or of a woman's or children's institution takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on any inmate of such jail, remand home, place or institution; or

(d) Being on the management or on the staff of a hospital, takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on a woman in that hospital; or

(e) Commits rape on a woman knowing her to be pregnant; or

(f) Commits rape when she is under twelve years of age; or

(g) Commits gang rape,

Shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may be for life and shall also be liable to fine:

Provided that the court may, for adequate and special reasons to be mentioned in the judgment, impose a sentence of imprisonment of either description for a term of less than ten years.

Explanation 1- Where a woman is raped by one or more in a group of persons acting in furtherance of their common intention, each of the persons shall be deemed to have committed gang rape within the meaning of this sub-section.

Explanation 2-"Women's or children's institution "means an institution, whether called an orphanage of a home for neglected women or children or a widows' home or by any other name, which is established and maintained for the reception and care of women or children.

Explanation: 3. - "Hospital" means the precincts of the hospital and includes the precincts of any institution for the reception and treatment of persons during convalescence or of persons requiring medical attention or rehabilitation].

Section 377. Unnatural offences

Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with ¹[imprisonment for life], or with imprisonment of either description for term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation. -Penetration is sufficient to constitute the carnal intercourse necessary to the offence described in this section.

Section 503. Criminal intimidation

Whoever threatens another with any injury to his person, reputation or property, or to the person or reputation of any one in whom that person is interested, with intent to cause alarm to that person, or to cause that person to do any act which he is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do any act which that person is legally entitled to do, as the means of avoiding the execution of such threat, commits criminal intimidation.

Explanation-A threat to inure the reputation of any deceased person in whom the person threatened is interested, is within this section.

Section 509. Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman

Whoever, intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, of that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

Section 511. Punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment

Whoever attempts to commit an offence punishable by this Code with ¹[imprisonment for life] or imprisonment, or to cause such an offence to be committed, and in such attempts does any act towards the commission of the offence, shall, where no express provision is made by this Code for the punishment of such attempt, be punished with ²[imprisonment of any description provided for the offence, for a term which may extend to one-half of the imprisonment for life or, as the case may be, one-half of the longest term of imprisonment provided for that offence], or with such fine as is provided for the offence, or with both.

source:-http://www.vakilno1.com/bareacts/IndianPenalCode/indianpenalcode.htm

2009-06-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

JUNKO FURUTA

Junko Furuta

2009-06-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

sexual abuse on women is a very common phenomenon today.unless there is a scandal involved, people simply flick through any channel that shows a rape or sexual harrassment case.some people may bestow a sigh, but largely its too minor an issue to pay attention to.but once or twice such incidents occur that make you sit up and feel goosebumps all over your body.incidents which, unless you are a rock, are bound to evoke strong emotions in you.incidents that shake your faith in justice, humanity and maybe even God.such is the heinous act against Junko Furuta.the 16 year old Japanese girl who was victim of some unimaginably brutal sexual crimes.she died 20 years ago from shock after 44 days of sexual torture in the hands of her four identified assailants and God alone knows how many unidentified.twenty years later-her assailants walk scot free.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junko_Furuta
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(from Wikipedia)

THE CRIME

In November of 1988, Boy A (then 18), Boy B (Jo Kamisaku, then 17; Kamisaku was a new family name he took after being released from prison [1]), Boy C (then 16) and Boy D (then 17) from Tokyo abducted and held Furuta, a second year high school (grade 11) student from Saitama Prefecture in Misato, for 44 days. They kept her captive in the house owned by the parents of Boy C.

To forestall a manhunt, Boy A coerced Furuta into calling her own parents and telling them that she had run away from home, but was with "a friend" and was not in danger. He also browbeat her into posing as one of the boys' girlfriends when the parents of the house where she was held were around, but when it became clear that the parents would not call the police, he dropped this pretext. Furuta tried to escape several times, begging the parents more than once to help her, but they did nothing, apparently out of fear that Boy A would hurt them. Boy A was at the time a low-level yakuza leader and had bragged that he could use his connections to kill anyone who interfered.

According to their statements at their trial, the four of them raped her, beat her, introduced foreign objects including an iron rod into her vagina, made her drink her own urine and was fed cockroaches, inserted fireworks into her anus, and set them off, forced Furuta to masturbate, cut her nipple with pliers, dropped dumbbells onto her stomach, and burned her with cigarettes and lighters. (One of the burnings was punishment for attempting to call the police.) At one point her injuries were so severe that according to one of the boys it took more than an hour for her to crawl downstairs to use the bathroom. They also related that "possibly a hundred different people" knew that Furuta had been imprisoned there, but it is not clear if this means they visited the house at different times while she was imprisoned there, or themselves either raped or abused her. When the boys refused to let her leave, she begged them on several occasions to "kill (her) and get it over with".

On January 4, 1989, using one of the boys' loss at mah-jongg as a pretext, the four beat her with an iron barbell, poured lighter fluid on her legs, arms, face and stomach, and set her on fire. She died later that day of shock. The four boys claimed that they were not aware of how badly injured she was, and that they believed she had been malingering.

The killers hid her corpse in an 55-gallon drum filled with cement; the perpetrators disposed the drum in a tract of reclaimed land in Koto, Tokyo.

ARREST AND PUNISHMENT

The boys were arrested and tried as adults; but, because of Japanese handling of crimes committed by juveniles, their identities were sealed by the court. However, a weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun reported their real names, claiming "Human rights aren't needed for brutes."[2] Furuta's real name and details about her personal life were reported exhaustively in the media. Kamisaku was judged as a sub leader, at least according to the official trial.

The four boys pled guilty to a reduced charge of "committing bodily injury that resulted in death", rather than murder. Boy A's parents sold their house for approximately 50 million yen and paid this as compensation to Furuta's family.[citation needed]

For his participation in the crime, Kamisaku served eight years in a juvenile prison before he was released, in August 1999. In July 2004, he was arrested for assaulting an acquaintance, whom he believed to be luring a girlfriend away from him, and allegedly bragged about his earlier infamy. [1] Kamisaku was sentenced to seven years in prison for the beating.

Junko's parents were dismayed by the sentences received by their daughter's killers, and enjoined a civil suit against the parents of the boy in whose home the crimes were committed. When some of the convictions were overturned on the basis of problematic physical evidence (the semen and pubic hair recovered from the body did not match those of the boys who were arrested), the lawyer handling the civil suit decided there was no case to be made and refused to represent them further. (There is speculation that the evidence may have been contaminated—for example, by unidentified persons who raped Furuta.

One of the most disturbing parts of this true story is that her killers are now free. After putting Junko Furuta through all that suffering, they are free men.

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"A high-school girl was abducted by four teenaged hooligans while she was on her way to work. They took her to the house of a friend, held her in his bedroom, and for the next forty-five days enacted every imaginable form of abuse on her (and some you wouldn’t want to imagine). They gang-raped her—both with their own bodies and with an assortment of foreign objects—beat her, kicked her, doused her extremities with lighter fluid and set her on fire, and probably did many other things to her that went undocumented by either her tormentors or the police. They mocked her pain. They held her down and dropped barbells on her stomach. This last bit of torture was more than she could withstand, and after going into convulsions she apparently either strangled on her own vomit or simply died from her beatings. When the boys were questioned later about why they didn’t do anything during her seizure, they replied, “We assumed she was faking it.”
"She tried to escape, more than once. The first time, she was caught in the process of making a phone call. The second time, she ran into the parents of the boy who lived there; apparently they had known all along what was gong on. She begged them to help her, but they refused; his friend had criminal connections, and they didn’t want to get into trouble, too. After her death, they taped her arms and legs together, threw her into a 55-gallon drum, filled it with cement, and dumped it in an empty lot. The body wasn’t recovered until almost a year later. The ringleader of the whole incident served eight years in prison and is now a free man."

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She got help from no one.NO ONE. those who knew, JOINED in on the assault.one innocent 16 year old girl.one gruesome unthinkable death.one act of greatest injustice.what really do we need to sit up and DO something?how many more inocents do we need to sacrifice?

2009-06-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

People have some really wierd ideas about feminists.(an MCP I know actually said Feminists are no better than "Jews" and should be thrown into the ovens as well.nice eh?).I mean, especially in India, its something hard to digest.Its true!Try telling someone you are a feminist.immediately they have three questions on their mind.

1.Do you hate men?

2.Are you a lesbian?

3.Do you hate babies?

Goddamit no!for Godsake I believe in EQUALITY!i believe in UPLIFTMENT(not just of the boobs you pervert!).s'all!seriously!who can hate a bald toothless baby?(though I must admit I never hold a baby unlessits wearing diapers.)

so here it is.a blog dedicated to my sistahs!serious issues and fun uns!and mostly inspired from orkut conversations!blog on:)