<p>Having grown up in a family of music aficionados, I developed quite a diverse taste in music. S.D. Burman&rsquo;s &ldquo;Doli mein bithai ke&rdquo; from the movie Amar Prem appeals to me as much as Salim Merchant&rsquo;s &ldquo;Ali Maula&rdquo; from the movie Qurban, as does Shankar Mahadevan&rsquo;s &ldquo;Shree Ganeshaya Dheemahi&rdquo;. I discovered the meaning of the word &ldquo;soulful&rdquo; from these songs. To me, the difference between &ldquo;living&rdquo; and &ldquo;feeling alive&rdquo;, is defined by experiences like music, poetry, prose and drama.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Artists, such as Suhana Malik or Nahid Afrin, who are gifted with such an extraordinary talent and the power to touch our souls, live in an elevated world, a better world free of the petty squabbles of mankind. Therefore, to see them being needlessly targeted by fringe elements for their rare talent is tragic, to say the least. However, beyond the moral outrage one feels at the misadventures of the fundamentalist mind, there is a larger question of legality.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/nahid-20170320070003.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Nahid Afrin (DNA)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>After all, what role does personal law have to play on matters of music?</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>India&rsquo;s unique interpretation and practice of secularism mean that personal laws continue to play a significant role in determining the lives of individuals belonging to various communities. While this interpretation of secularism is controversial and is perceived as an anathema to human rights by many sections, religious communities are not unanimous over the issue of keeping religion separate from the state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Derived from religious practices, these personal laws serve only a limited purpose. As per Section 2 of the Muslim Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, Muslim personal laws remain limited to subjects of personal nature, such as succession, inheritance, marriage and divorce. Beyond the scope of these subjects, secular laws come into the picture.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the line between where the personal laws end and the secular laws take over has, unfortunately, been a blur. For example, the maintenance payable to Muslim women post-divorce became the focal point of the conflict between&nbsp;the Shariat and the Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 which is the secular law governing the rights of the divorced wife. Also, Women rights advocates are cognizant of acts of violence and cruelty to the wife that are clearly condemned in the Protection of Domestic Violence Act, 2005 and Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. However, these cases escape the attention of the secular criminal justice system because they are treated as &ldquo;matrimonial disputes&rdquo; within the scope of personal laws privy to situations. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/suhana-20170320071807.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Suhana Syed (DNA)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Unlike these above-mentioned cases, there are no ambiguities about the right to freedom of speech and expression. Enshrined in the Constitution of India, any attempt to restrict or even condemn these rights, as have been done with Suhana Malik and Nahid Afrin, will be considered as offensive to the Constitution and transgressing the limits of the personal law. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>On a different note, the Muslim community, whose contribution to Indian music is legendary, are well within their rights to nurture the talents within the community. After all, what would life be without Ustad Bismillah Khan&rsquo;s Shenai? Lest the resolution of the legal debate still leaves matters of faith unanswered, I must venture to examine the position of Islam on the subject of music.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Muslim Personal Laws is a complicated affair. It is jurisprudence that traces its origins back to almost 1400 years and defined by the experiences of the Muslim community from Africa to Asia and everything in between. Unlike the Vatican, which acts as the centre of the neural network of Christianity, Islam is diverse and vibrant like its practitioners. Contrary to what stereotypes the media might project, Islam is intellectually and culturally enlightened and rich. Reza Aslan, in his book &ldquo;No God but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam&rdquo; even says that the use of spontaneous melody was encouraged among Quran reciters and, hence, the aptitude for music among many of them.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The Holy Quran does not explicitly condemn music in the context of worship, but merely cautions against the use of &ldquo;false&rdquo; and &ldquo;vain&rdquo; words during worship</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The Holy Quran does not explicitly condemn music in the context of worship, but merely cautions against the use of ?false? and ?vain? words during worship" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Holy Quran does not explicitly condemn music in the context of worship, but merely cautions against the use of &ldquo;false&rdquo; and &ldquo;vain&rdquo; words during worship. Even if one assumes for the sake of argument that reference to &ldquo;false&rdquo; and &ldquo;vain&rdquo; words are references to music, still, the prohibition is limited to worship only.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The evolution of the sharia jurisprudence was affected by geo-political occurrences, such as the expansion of Islam to Africa and Asia, Mongol invasions and the Crusades. Thus, the differences in approach between the Sunnis and the Shias, and within Sunnis, among the followers of the Hanafi School, the Hanbali School, the Shafi School, the Maliki School and the, more recent, Wahabi School. While practitioners of the Wahabi school abhor music and dance, it is by no means, a measure of the overall perception of music and dance among the Muslim community.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Sufism complimented the Bhakti movement in India and played its part in forging the philosophical foundations of an inclusive society</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Sufism complimented the Bhakti movement in India and played its part in forging the philosophical foundations of an inclusive society" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, for every Taliban out there, there are&nbsp;also the Sufi mystics who stand in stark contrast. In a true testament to the inclusive and diverse nature of Islam, Sufism complimented the Bhakti movement in India and played its part in forging the philosophical foundations of an inclusive society. Far from interpreting the caution against &ldquo;false&rdquo; and &ldquo;vain&rdquo; words as a prohibition against music, Sufi music has carved out a niche for itself and remains one of the most popular brands of music in this region. Be its inclusive character or its resistance towards politics, Sufism represents an intrinsic counter to the radical elements of Islam that seek to spread hatred and fear.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Therefore, the need to stand by Suhana Malik and Nahid Afrin is not just about enforcing the Constitution of India. Our duty to these bright young women stems from the need to protect and nurture the Sufi brand of Islam that found patronage in our sub-continent. In a symbolic gesture, this allegiance we owe to Sufism, if discharged, would also serve to remind those clinging to the Wahabi school of thought, that Islam isn&rsquo;t the exclusive narrative of the radical fringe groups, but belongs just as much to the culturally sensitive and peace-loving Muslims of India and the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>While a parallel debate about the Uniform Civil Code continues, it is about time that the Indian Muslim population assumes intellectual leadership in defining the image of Islam as the inclusive faith that it really is.</p>


Muslims, whose contribution to Indian music is legendary, are well within their rights to nurture the talents within the community

Having grown up in a family of music aficionados, I developed quite a diverse taste in music. S.D. Burman’s “Doli mein bithai ke” from the movie Amar Prem appeals to me as much as Salim Merchant’s “Ali Maula” from the movie Qurban, as does Shankar Mahadevan’s “Shree Ganeshaya Dheemahi”. I discovered the meaning of the word “soulful” from these songs. To me, the difference between “living” and “feeling alive”, is defined by experiences like music, poetry, prose and drama. Artists, such as Suhana Malik or Nahid Afrin, who are gifted with such an extraordinary talent and the power to touch our souls, live in an elevated world, a better world free of the petty squabbles of mankind. Therefore, to see them being needlessly targeted by fringe elements for their rare talent is tragic, to say the least. However, beyond the moral outrage one feels at the misadventures of the fundamentalist mind, there is a larger question of legality. Nahid Afrin (DNA) × After all, what role does personal law have to play on matters of music? India’s unique interpretation and practice of secularism mean that personal laws continue to play a significant role in determining the lives of individuals belonging to various communities. While this interpretation of secularism is controversial and is perceived as an anathema to human rights by many sections, religious communities are not unanimous over the issue of keeping religion separate from the state. Derived from religious practices, these personal laws serve only a limited purpose. As per Section 2 of the Muslim Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, Muslim personal laws remain limited to subjects of personal nature, such as succession, inheritance, marriage and divorce. Beyond the scope of these subjects, secular laws come into the picture. But the line between where the personal laws end and the secular laws take over has, unfortunately, been a blur. For example, the maintenance payable to Muslim women post-divorce became the focal point of the conflict between the Shariat and the Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 which is the secular law governing the rights of the divorced wife. Also, Women rights advocates are cognizant of acts of violence and cruelty to the wife that are clearly condemned in the Protection of Domestic Violence Act, 2005 and Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. However, these cases escape the attention of the secular criminal justice system because they are treated as “matrimonial disputes” within the scope of personal laws privy to situations. Suhana Syed (DNA) × Unlike these above-mentioned cases, there are no ambiguities about the right to freedom of speech and expression. Enshrined in the Constitution of India, any attempt to restrict or even condemn these rights, as have been done with Suhana Malik and Nahid Afrin, will be considered as offensive to the Constitution and transgressing the limits of the personal law. On a different note, the Muslim community, whose contribution to Indian music is legendary, are well within their rights to nurture the talents within the community. After all, what would life be without Ustad Bismillah Khan’s Shenai? Lest the resolution of the legal debate still leaves matters of faith unanswered, I must venture to examine the position of Islam on the subject of music. Muslim Personal Laws is a complicated affair. It is jurisprudence that traces its origins back to almost 1400 years and defined by the experiences of the Muslim community from Africa to Asia and everything in between. Unlike the Vatican, which acts as the centre of the neural network of Christianity, Islam is diverse and vibrant like its practitioners. Contrary to what stereotypes the media might project, Islam is intellectually and culturally enlightened and rich. Reza Aslan, in his book “No God but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam” even says that the use of spontaneous melody was encouraged among Quran reciters and, hence, the aptitude for music among many of them. The Holy Quran does not explicitly condemn music in the context of worship, but merely cautions against the use of “false” and “vain” words during worship × The Holy Quran does not explicitly condemn music in the context of worship, but merely cautions against the use of “false” and “vain” words during worship. Even if one assumes for the sake of argument that reference to “false” and “vain” words are references to music, still, the prohibition is limited to worship only. The evolution of the sharia jurisprudence was affected by geo-political occurrences, such as the expansion of Islam to Africa and Asia, Mongol invasions and the Crusades. Thus, the differences in approach between the Sunnis and the Shias, and within Sunnis, among the followers of the Hanafi School, the Hanbali School, the Shafi School, the Maliki School and the, more recent, Wahabi School. While practitioners of the Wahabi school abhor music and dance, it is by no means, a measure of the overall perception of music and dance among the Muslim community. Sufism complimented the Bhakti movement in India and played its part in forging the philosophical foundations of an inclusive society × However, for every Taliban out there, there are also the Sufi mystics who stand in stark contrast. In a true testament to the inclusive and diverse nature of Islam, Sufism complimented the Bhakti movement in India and played its part in forging the philosophical foundations of an inclusive society. Far from interpreting the caution against “false” and “vain” words as a prohibition against music, Sufi music has carved out a niche for itself and remains one of the most popular brands of music in this region. Be its inclusive character or its resistance towards politics, Sufism represents an intrinsic counter to the radical elements of Islam that seek to spread hatred and fear. Therefore, the need to stand by Suhana Malik and Nahid Afrin is not just about enforcing the Constitution of India. Our duty to these bright young women stems from the need to protect and nurture the Sufi brand of Islam that found patronage in our sub-continent. In a symbolic gesture, this allegiance we owe to Sufism, if discharged, would also serve to remind those clinging to the Wahabi school of thought, that Islam isn’t the exclusive narrative of the radical fringe groups, but belongs just as much to the culturally sensitive and peace-loving Muslims of India and the world. While a parallel debate about the Uniform Civil Code continues, it is about time that the Indian Muslim population assumes intellectual leadership in defining the image of Islam as the inclusive faith that it really is.

Is music forbidden in Islam?

<p>Bengaluru, the IT hub of India, woke up to the rather unpleasant news of many women reporting being sexually harassed during the new years celebrations at Brigade Road/Church Street. What followed was a series of unfortunate events, where the state&rsquo;s home minister and politician Abu Azmi of Samajwadi Party <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/on-bengaluru-new-years-eve-horror-politician-abu-azmis-naked-women-shocker-1644496">blamed</a> poverty of conservative clothing and conservative values as the cause of these crimes against women on new years eve.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>I believe no useful purpose is served by labelling women and indulging in name calling.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Let us, therefore, assume that these are reasonable men, driven to mistake simply because of ignorance. Mr. Azmi and Karnataka&rsquo;s Home Minister, Mr. Parameshwar are victims of stereotypes we have created and nurtured over time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Let us, therefore, make an effort to place the right information before them and hope, based on our positive assumptions, that they will change their opinions for the better at the end of this exercise.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Egyptian women were at liberty to wear short skirts and, yet there were no incidences of widespread sexual harassment</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Egyptian women were at liberty to wear short skirts and, yet there were no incidences of widespread sexual harassment" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The <a href="http://www.womenundersiegeproject.org/conflicts/profile/egypt">Egyptian Center for Women Rights</a> study revealed that as on 2008, nearly 83 per cent of Egyptian Women had reported sexual harassment, out of which at least 50 per cent had endured sexual harassment on a daily basis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his article titled &ldquo;Egypt&rsquo;s Problem with Women&rdquo;, acclaimed Egyptian author Ala Al Aswany describes how, during the time before the influx of conservative Wahhabi ideology (which prescribes a strict dress code for women) Egyptian women were at liberty to wear short skirts and, yet there were no incidences of widespread sexual harassment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Wary of the current trend of sexual abuse, Al Aswany concludes with these words, &ldquo;Why is it that men did not harass Egyptian women when they wore short skirts but that sexual harassment has increased against women in head scarves? When ultraconservative doctrine dehumanizes women, reducing them to objects, it legitimizes acts of sexual aggression against them.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>To demolish the unscientific responses of Mr. Azmi and Mr. Parameshwar, it is necessary to first understand that sexual assault, including penetrative sexual assault is different from consensual sexual intercourse. The dynamics governing the two are grossly different. Sexual violence differs from consensual sexual intercourse, in as much as the former is exclusively about violence and the latter is exclusively about sex.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sexual assault is clinically understood as a pseudo sexual act that serves non-sexual needs. These non-sexual needs revolve around power, anger, vulnerability and control.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the study undertaken by Nicholas Groth on sex offenders, it emerged that significant numbers of these offenders experienced sexual dysfunction. Many such offenders were in consensual sexual relationships, even as they indulged in sexual assaults against unwilling victims.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thus, sexual desire does not necessarily not lead to rape. Groth concludes that it is not sexual pleasure and satisfaction that leads to recidivism among sex offenders, but it is desperation. That desperation according to Groth, is founded upon the offender looking to sexual activity to gratify a need or resolve an issue that is basically not sexual.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Until recently, the Indian understanding of sexual assault was that it is a western phenomenon, a phenomenon which is a product of a decadent culture devoid of moral values.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>But then, <a href="http://speisa.com/modules/articles/index.php/item.2374/german-police-it-s-an-arab-rape-game-called-taharrush-and-now-it-has-come-to-europe.html">&ldquo;Taharrush&rdquo;</a> occurred in Germany during the 2016 new year celebrations. In imitation of the Arab &ldquo;rape game&rdquo;, known as&nbsp; &ldquo;Taharrush&rdquo;, a group Caucasian women were accosted by groups of men of Asian origin and subjected to gang assaults.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Stories of honour killing are far from rare among Indian communities. The harassment and fear that our women endure in our own countries as a result of this toxic culture of patriarchy is already well know. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Men from our part of the world (Asia) have proven that their endorsement of patriarchy and their sense of entitlement is independent of western influences and when challenged by the inherent strength of women in our world, we respond by asserting power through sexual aggression.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Therefore, the argument that a woman&rsquo;s choice of attire led to rape, operates on the erroneous assumption that the offender felt attracted to the victim, resulting in lust and then rape. But we already know that lust and rape have nothing to do with each other. But we know that rape has a lot to do with power, anger, vulnerability and control. That is why we have, in our experience, seen that victims can be very young or very old, male or female.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>When we choose to blame choice of attire or even gender as causing rape, then we forget about the woman in burqa who is eve teased at the bus stop</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=When we choose to blame choice of attire or even gender as causing rape, then we forget about the woman in burqa who is eve teased at the bus stop" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>When we choose to blame choice of attire or even gender as causing rape, then we forget about the woman in burqa who is eve teased at the bus stop. What about the little girl in diapers who was sexually abused by her father for years? What about the teenager who was sexually abused by his school teacher in school?&nbsp; Are we not undermining their experiences with sexual violence?</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Victim blaming is not only unwarranted by law and morally deplorable. It is a product of ignorance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Victim blaming will not provide crime prevention strategies. It will certainly not answer the question of what can be done next new years to prevent this from reoccurring. What bothers me about victim blaming most, however, is that we have been doing it for centuries and it hasn&rsquo;t helped solve the problem. Yet we repeat the mistakes of forefathers and hope for a different outcome? Madness, anybody?&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Victim blaming is not only unwarranted by law and morally deplorable. It is a product of ignorance</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Victim blaming is not only unwarranted by law and morally deplorable. It is a product of ignorance" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>So how about, at least for the sake of variety if not common sense, that we try and apply our minds and solve this problem properly. We owe it to ourselves and our women.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Make no mistake, what happened on new years eve in Bengaluru is not a blot on the women, it is a blot on us. And if anyone&rsquo;s character is questionable at the moment, it is ours as a society. How we respond to this challenge will define if we are cowardly and stupid and therefore traditional or if we are courageous and intelligent and therefore creative.</p>


Sexual assault has nothing to do with desire but revolves around patriarchal power, anger, vulnerability and control

Bengaluru, the IT hub of India, woke up to the rather unpleasant news of many women reporting being sexually harassed during the new years celebrations at Brigade Road/Church Street. What followed was a series of unfortunate events, where the state’s home minister and politician Abu Azmi of Samajwadi Party blamed poverty of conservative clothing and conservative values as the cause of these crimes against women on new years eve. I believe no useful purpose is served by labelling women and indulging in name calling. Let us, therefore, assume that these are reasonable men, driven to mistake simply because of ignorance. Mr. Azmi and Karnataka’s Home Minister, Mr. Parameshwar are victims of stereotypes we have created and nurtured over time. Let us, therefore, make an effort to place the right information before them and hope, based on our positive assumptions, that they will change their opinions for the better at the end of this exercise. Egyptian women were at liberty to wear short skirts and, yet there were no incidences of widespread sexual harassment × The Egyptian Center for Women Rights study revealed that as on 2008, nearly 83 per cent of Egyptian Women had reported sexual harassment, out of which at least 50 per cent had endured sexual harassment on a daily basis. In his article titled “Egypt’s Problem with Women”, acclaimed Egyptian author Ala Al Aswany describes how, during the time before the influx of conservative Wahhabi ideology (which prescribes a strict dress code for women) Egyptian women were at liberty to wear short skirts and, yet there were no incidences of widespread sexual harassment. Wary of the current trend of sexual abuse, Al Aswany concludes with these words, “Why is it that men did not harass Egyptian women when they wore short skirts but that sexual harassment has increased against women in head scarves? When ultraconservative doctrine dehumanizes women, reducing them to objects, it legitimizes acts of sexual aggression against them.” To demolish the unscientific responses of Mr. Azmi and Mr. Parameshwar, it is necessary to first understand that sexual assault, including penetrative sexual assault is different from consensual sexual intercourse. The dynamics governing the two are grossly different. Sexual violence differs from consensual sexual intercourse, in as much as the former is exclusively about violence and the latter is exclusively about sex. Sexual assault is clinically understood as a pseudo sexual act that serves non-sexual needs. These non-sexual needs revolve around power, anger, vulnerability and control. In the study undertaken by Nicholas Groth on sex offenders, it emerged that significant numbers of these offenders experienced sexual dysfunction. Many such offenders were in consensual sexual relationships, even as they indulged in sexual assaults against unwilling victims. Thus, sexual desire does not necessarily not lead to rape. Groth concludes that it is not sexual pleasure and satisfaction that leads to recidivism among sex offenders, but it is desperation. That desperation according to Groth, is founded upon the offender looking to sexual activity to gratify a need or resolve an issue that is basically not sexual. Until recently, the Indian understanding of sexual assault was that it is a western phenomenon, a phenomenon which is a product of a decadent culture devoid of moral values. But then, “Taharrush” occurred in Germany during the 2016 new year celebrations. In imitation of the Arab “rape game”, known as “Taharrush”, a group Caucasian women were accosted by groups of men of Asian origin and subjected to gang assaults. Stories of honour killing are far from rare among Indian communities. The harassment and fear that our women endure in our own countries as a result of this toxic culture of patriarchy is already well know. Men from our part of the world (Asia) have proven that their endorsement of patriarchy and their sense of entitlement is independent of western influences and when challenged by the inherent strength of women in our world, we respond by asserting power through sexual aggression. Therefore, the argument that a woman’s choice of attire led to rape, operates on the erroneous assumption that the offender felt attracted to the victim, resulting in lust and then rape. But we already know that lust and rape have nothing to do with each other. But we know that rape has a lot to do with power, anger, vulnerability and control. That is why we have, in our experience, seen that victims can be very young or very old, male or female. When we choose to blame choice of attire or even gender as causing rape, then we forget about the woman in burqa who is eve teased at the bus stop × When we choose to blame choice of attire or even gender as causing rape, then we forget about the woman in burqa who is eve teased at the bus stop. What about the little girl in diapers who was sexually abused by her father for years? What about the teenager who was sexually abused by his school teacher in school? Are we not undermining their experiences with sexual violence? Victim blaming is not only unwarranted by law and morally deplorable. It is a product of ignorance. Victim blaming will not provide crime prevention strategies. It will certainly not answer the question of what can be done next new years to prevent this from reoccurring. What bothers me about victim blaming most, however, is that we have been doing it for centuries and it hasn’t helped solve the problem. Yet we repeat the mistakes of forefathers and hope for a different outcome? Madness, anybody? Victim blaming is not only unwarranted by law and morally deplorable. It is a product of ignorance × So how about, at least for the sake of variety if not common sense, that we try and apply our minds and solve this problem properly. We owe it to ourselves and our women. Make no mistake, what happened on new years eve in Bengaluru is not a blot on the women, it is a blot on us. And if anyone’s character is questionable at the moment, it is ours as a society. How we respond to this challenge will define if we are cowardly and stupid and therefore traditional or if we are courageous and intelligent and therefore creative.

Understanding sexual violence: Beyond the discourse of victim-blaming

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Ashok G V

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