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Do women entice men and invite
trouble with their attire, is something debatable. But many
iconoclasts have come on the streets to tell men that a woman’s
racy attire cannot be an excuse to sexually harass her. No
touching only seeing was the message of Slut walks being organized
in different cities of the world. Cutting across continents and
nations, it’s one of the most memorable social events of the year
2011.
The first Slut Walk was initiated by some Canadian women in April
2011. This was in response to a comment made by a Toronto police
official who actually said; should avoid dressing like sluts in
order not to be victimized.”
Following the Canadian protest, feminists’ world over took to
streets and organized similar walks to tell that dressing and
morality cannot be entwined. The two are separate things and women
should not be assaulted for their dare bare dress. The modern day
iconoclast craving to dress skimpily believed that men’s mindset
on dress and sexuality could be broken organizing slut walks.
Like a contagious disease, the idea of slut walks spread all over
the globe. From North America to Latin America, from Europe to
Asia many cities of the world organized Sult Walks to protest
against the sexual harassment of the women.
In the age of globalization, India could not remain immune to such
global phenomena. The first slut walk in the country was organized
in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh in July 2011. Madhya
Pradesh has the highest number of rape cases reported in the
country.
This Bhopal protest was followed by a similar street protest march
in New Delhi. Although touted to be daringly exposing, Sult walk
organized near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi was very Indian in
attire. The protestors took out a peaceful march and staged a
street play, depicting rape and other sexual violence again the
women. The Delhi protest was to send out the message that scores
of women are sexually assaulted every day in the national capital.
The Slut Walk bug has hit south India as well and the next event
was organized in Bangalore on December 4, 2011. However, it was
cancelled at the last moment amidst pressure from right wing
organizations that threatened to go violent if such march was
carried out in the garden city of India.
This was a great let down to the organizers of the Slut walk as
they felt that it was a silent awareness campaign against sexual
abuse of the women in Bangalore city. According to the organizers
over 23,000 rape cases were reported in Bangalore in 2010. The
number of cases of sexual abuse went up by 40 per cent in 2011.The
conviction rate however remains a mere 26.6 per cent.
While it is understandable that Indian women want to send a
powerful message to the men that sexual violence against them can
not be tolerated, is fair enough, but what needs to be debated is
the need for such provocative and bold form of demonstration.
As the saying goes west is west, east is east and the twain never
meets. It seems to be applicable in this issue and needs analysis.
There seems to be an apparent dichotomy in thinking of the western
and Indian feminist on this issue.
It appears that while the western thinking is geared towards
wearing skimpy dresses, but at same time asking men to control
there sexual feelings and not get physical even if they are turned
on.
It’s a very interesting psychological that has been thrown up in
this proposition. Perhaps theories of Sigmund Freud should be
brought in to understand this phenomenon. But I am his theories
will favor the comment of the Toronto cops and the feminist
iconoclast may disagree with the idea that a biological response
is generated seeing the female flesh.
So the best way to settle this could be to run a clinical trial to
measure male feelings seeing females in skimpy dresses and reach a
conclusion whether dresses do have bearing on male libido.
Now coming to the Indian context of organizing the Slut walks. The
issue here is not about attire and to showcase female flesh, but
it’s more a protest against the violence on female in the country.
There is no denying the fact that in a a patriarchal society like
India, females are targets of male violence and there is a sincere
need to stop this. However, to create awareness is there an y n
necessity to resort to such gimmicks like calling a women’s march
a Slut Walk.
Many question the name given to such a protest. It is being
perceived as encouraging women to dress up in skimpy clothes. This
is actually not the case in India, but it is to raise awareness
against female violence in the country. If that is so, then what’s
the need to use such provocative words, but feminist are
headstrong not to change the name to please certain sensibilities.
The debate continues to rage on.
Now the question is, whether India is ready for such a social
discourse? In spite of economic liberalization, Indian society is
still very insular. Dress and culture are quite enmeshed here.
Women with particular dress do have particular connotation and
it’s a social paradigm in which we live.
Even though the word Slut is being parroted by the some upper
crust urban females who are influenced by the international media
buzz, it hardly connects with vast female multitude of India. Even
those who may like to wear trendy outfits are uncomfortable with
tag. They feel the word ‘Slut’ is a slur that demeans their
feminism. The kind of freedom the slut walkers seeks is quite
unknown in India.
The organizers of the Slut Walks should know that much before the
Toronto cry of the ladies ranted the air, the tribal women of
Manipur had taken out a nude procession carrying ply cards saying
‘Indian Army rapes us’. Perhaps that was the first Slut Walk
organized in the world.
Did any of the today’s Slut walkers came out on the streets to
support the cause? No! They do so now in order to try to imitate
from their western counterparts. What a shame to this country that
still seeks its inspiration from outside, while Manipur’s Sharmila
Irom, who is fasting for the eleventh year, highlighting the issue
of violence against women goes unsung those organizing Slut walks.
Notwithstanding the facts, as we race through to wrap the year,
this new feminist wave has swept the globe and is one of the most
striking developments of this year. The social networking site
particularly the ‘facebook’ has added a new momentum to this
movement.
It’s a very interesting duel between the forces of globalization
and nationalism that is being staged. Whether the forces of
globalization will subdue the forces of nationalism or the later
will over power the former is something that’s being watched. It’s
difficult to pinpoint the winner but, it seems the forces of
globalization are on a roll!
Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be
contacted at syedalimujtaba@yahoo.com
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