While this author headed the investigation of the Delhi case in his capacity as the Delhi Police chief and has first-hand knowledge of its intricacies, his data set of the Kolkata case is based purely on media reports and may, therefore, be both incomplete and possibly inaccurate. But nonetheless, it may help us in analysing the two in their similarities and dissimilarities and thereafter understand the issues concerning women safety in their entirety.
The recent rape and murder of a young trainee doctor in Kolkata, now being referred to as Abhaya case by the media, has, after a lapse of 12 years, revived the painful memories of Delhi’s Nirbhaya incident. On 12 December 2012, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student was gangraped in a moving bus in Delhi in the presence of her male companion by five men including a juvenile. The victim succumbed to her injuries a few days later in a Singapore hospital where she was taken in last-ditch efforts to save her life. The incident had evoked large-scale public reaction much like what we have seen in the wake of the Kolkata rape case. It is, therefore, only expected that comparisons between the so called Nirbhaya and Abhaya cases would be drawn, for better or for worse.
Undoubtedly and unarguably, both incidents are horrific, and it is pointless and even insensitive to argue which of the two cases is more brutal than the other. In both cases two young Indian girls representing the hardworking and aspirational women of India have been mercilessly violated and their lives snuffed out. They were both connected with the medical profession and belonged to lower middle class families with stars in their eyes. Both fell victims in two metropolitan cities of India and thus attracted the undivided attention of the media and relentless public fury. Similar cases in rural India perhaps either go unreported or escape the city-centric media attention.
Vested interests have gone on overdrive to politicise both these tragedies that have shaken the conscience of the entire nation to its core with their sheer brutality. Perhaps, this is where the similarities end.
The Nirbhaya case, speaking purely from the perspective of legal processes, is done and dusted. While its bitter memories will never cease to haunt our collective consciousness, its investigation, arrests of the accused, prosecution and punishment are all over while the Kolkata case is still under investigation by the CBI. Almost every day new facts are coming to the fore making the case murkier and darker. The media uproar and unrelenting protests by the medical fraternity have led to the Supreme Court taking suo motu cognizance of the matter. The CBI has filed a status report wherein it has been more or less confirmed that it was not a gang-rape, as was earlier surmised, and was the handiwork of only the accused Sanjay Roy, who is already in custody.
Meanwhile, various acts of malfeasance and irregularities on the part of the Principal of the medical institution have come to light and a separate case has been registered by the CBI to go into them. Unconfirmed reports indicate that he may be connected with an organised ring of human organ and cadaver trade. The investigations may end up exposing the dark underbelly of the medical profession.
The Delhi case brought the focus of the society’s attention on the safety and security of women in public spaces. Two pathbreaking laws were enacted in its wake. The Criminal Law Amendment Act of 2013 commonly known as the Anti-rape Act and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
Protesting doctors in Kolkata and rest of India demand a central law for the protection of doctors and medical staff. It remains to be seen if such a legislation comes. The Supreme Court, on its part, has appointed a National Task Force to study the problem in its entirety and come up with its recommendations. It remains to be seen what comes out of this exercise eventually.
It is most unfortunate that in the interim a fourteen-year-old girl was gang-raped in Assam. This news too has been widely reported in the media. The accused quite mysteriously committed suicide by drowning in police custody.
I feel comparisons between cases of rape or analysis of rape statistics of different countries would serve little purpose. Blaming the police or any arm of law enforcement for this crime would also be in vain. Most rapes are committed in the safety of enclosed spaces or isolated spots far from the public gaze by people often known to the victims. What needs to be understood is that rape is an opportunistic crime perpetrated not by lusty males but by deviants with psychopathic disorders driven by the urge to control and dominate. On occasions, the perpetrators are driven by hatred and hostility towards women.
Rapists often see women as sex objects who are there to fulfil men’s sexual needs. A rapist can believe that if a woman says no, she really means yes, and that she is playing around or challenging him. In some cultures, patriarchy and dominance are expressed through a kind of dehumanization in which women are seen as inferior beings to men. This makes it much easier for women to become the targets of aggression.
There are several types of rapists. There is the opportunistic rapist, who seizes any chance of sexual gratification. Another type is the sadistic rapist whose motivation is to humiliate and degrade victims. The vindictive rapist has anger and aggression focused directly toward women. Such a rapist believes he is permitted to sexually attack women because he feels he has been hurt, rejected or wronged by women in the past.
Sexual attack is an act of violence and a serious crime that should be punishable with the most stringent punishment. Unfortunately, a lot of victims remain silent to avoid stigmatization and being blamed by society, while their rapists are free to look for another victim. Research has shown that almost three-fourths of rape victims don’t report the crime.
While the police may have a limited role in the prevention of rape, as and when a woman reports being stalked it must respond sympathetically, promptly and determinedly. The rape and murder of Priyadarshini Mattoo, a young law student by her fellow student Santosh Singh in Vasant Kunj, Delhi in 1996 is a case in point. She had been repeatedly informing the police that Santosh was stalking her. Even though the police had responded by giving her security, the desperate stalker still found a way to enter her flat when she was alone, attempted to rape her and killed her. This was a clear case that could have been prevented by specialised psychiatric intervention at the right time and adequate security arrangements.
Understanding the psychology behind rape requires delving deep into complex and often disturbing psychological and social factors. Rapists often exhibit deviant lifestyle, low moral compass, traits of power and control issues, and use sexual violence as a means to assert dominance over their victims. They may have experienced traumas especially during their early childhood, which could be neglect or low parental control, exposure to violence, or excessive and punitive measures of discipline by parents that could affect their personality later. This background though does not condone their behaviour but helps explain the possible underlying factors that could have influenced them. Psychological research shows that a large number of these offenders exhibit psychopathic tendencies; they manipulate others, can be cruel without feeling any remorse or guilt. We can’t overlook the role of society when addressing the issue of pathology of rape as it is not only rooted in individual psychological abnormalities but is also influenced by broader social and cultural factors that perpetuate gender inequalities and tolerate coercive behaviour.
It should be noted though that such sexually violent predators are more an exception than a norm. Not every man who gets an opportunity will indulge in criminal act. Such predators often use a combination of psychological manipulation, opportunism and exploitation of vulnerabilities to identify and approach their targets. They will frequently look for individuals who appear more vulnerable due to factors like isolation, intoxication, even poor self-esteem. Often they will observe and exploit the environment where they can find their potential targets. Thus it is not surprising that more often than not it is a premeditated act. Research indicates that many rapists plan their assaults meticulously, indicating a deliberate intent to inflict harm and dominate their victims. A large number of them are seen to be drug abusers, have a history of violent crimes, anger management problems, unable to sustain relationships due to their abusive nature, and generally lack any social support.
In an effort to raise awareness and promote prevention, it is important to recognize any warning signs and predatory methods that these individuals might use. Such individuals generally have disregard for boundaries. One’s non-verbal language is louder than words and if one is feeling uncomfortable with someone’s body language, it should not be ignored. Staying aware of one’s surroundings, especially in unfamiliar or isolated settings would help protect oneself. Trust your instincts and if something feels off or uncomfortable, prioritize your safety and seek help if needed. Keep your trusted ones informed about your whereabouts and plans.
While we are quick to teach our girls on dos and don’ts, rarely do we consider teaching our boys on how to deal with the other sex. Often they see their own fathers ill-treat their mothers; occasionally even assault them. This is a major causative factor in the misogynistic behaviour of male children when they grow up that may culminate in violent activities like sexual assault.
Sporadic social mobilisations, protests, strikes and mass hysteria are not the best response to ghastly incidents of sexual violence. A well-studied, well-researched plan of action rooted in basic education of children, awareness of potential offenders and marking them out for expert intervention, be it by law enforcement or medical experts, creation of rehabilitation programmes for rape victims by giving them post-traumatic psychological counselling and overall awareness about this recurring malaise should be the way forward.
And, most importantly, examples should be made out of rapists masquerading as godmen like Asaram Bapu or Baba Ram Rahim. Frequent paroles being given to the latter send a wrong signal and so do the early release of the rapists of Bilkis Bano in Gujarat. Similarly, politicians like Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh should not be given political patronage.
It is high time we stop chest-beating only when an Abhaya or a Nirbhaya is raped brutally and killed. Let us do everything possible to build a society where our Betis really feel safe and succeed in achieving their full potential.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj kumar is former Commissioner Police Delhi, who served in office during the unfolding of the Nirbhaya saga. He is a prolific author of books including Dial D for Don, Khaki Files and Cop in Cricket, and writes frequently on current affairs.
