On October 21, 2013, a 26 year old British woman and her two friends were trying to climb into a rickshaw. At this time, a man named Gaurav Gupta who is 36 approached her and inappropriately touched her. The woman released a sound of alarm which alerted Indian officials that she was in trouble. The two Indian police officers then chased the man, caught him, and arrested him on a charge of assault or criminal force to women with the intent to outrage her modesty. This event, according to officials is unfortunately quite common but officials have developed a quick response to the offenders.
1) Do you think events like these are threatening to women in India or visiting the area?
2) What do you think would be an adequate punishment or sentence for this man?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/British-woman-molested-in-Mumbai/articleshow/24498965.cms
I definitely think that such events are threatening to women in India and women visiting the country. Hopefully, this culture of sexual assault will change in the coming years. I believe that the man should be arrested and put in jail for perhaps a couple of months or a year. Molesting is unfortunately a frequent occurrence in India, and it occurs generally in public transport vehicles like buses, trains, and rickshaws. Such events reflect the culture and the notions in India regarding females. Unfortunately, "eave teasing," as it is called, is a very common occurrence in India. There is a prevailing belief that women are subservient to men and that, therefore, men have the right to do anything to women without being punished. Foreigners are especially susceptible to such eave teasing because they are unaware that it is so common in India. I feel that the fact that the man was arrested is an improvement in that now men are actually being punished for their horrific treatment of women. The recent Delhi gang rape case definitely brought to light the issue of women's rights and the frequent sexual assault women are forced to undergo in India. Unfortunately, most molesters go unpunished; if this man were to be detained in jail for a few months or more, it would serve as an example to other men that such behavior is punishable by law.
ReplyDelete