Page 223 - Essencials of Sociology

196 CHAPTER 7 Global Stratification

Cultural Diversity around the World

Rape: Blaming the Victim and

Protecting the Caste System
Shana, just 16 years old, was raped by four men. She
was walking alongside the road leading to her house
when a car stopped. The men got out, shoved her into
the car, and drove about a mile down the road. For
several hours, they took turns raping the terrified young
woman. When the rape (and the other abuse that I
won’t describe) was over, they told Shana to keep her
mouth shut. They would kill her if she told anyone.
Fearful of what her parents would say and how the from the Jat caste had used his cell
neighbors would gossip, Shana told no one. She also knew phone to take trophy videos of the
that it would do no good to report the rape to the police, rape. As the video circulated, one man who saw it showed
since they would do nothing. Shana carried the shame— it to Shana’s father. Dishonored by the rape of his daughter,
and the anger—of her rape with her the rest of her life. he committed suicide.
His suicide and Shana’s rape
This is a composite story. Shana is
a combined version of the many enraged the Dalits in the com-
young black women who were munity. They marched to the
raped by white men in the U.S. police and demanded justice.
South years ago, at a time when What did they get? One of-
rape brought shame to any woman, ficial said that the sexual drive
black or white, and the rape and the of girls is causing rapes. He said
rapists were enshrouded in silence. that all girls should be married
For black women in the South at by the age of 16. Then there
this time, it was useless to report a wouldn’t be any “rapes.”
rape. The prosecutors, judges, and Another said that they never
juries—all were white. And none was used to have any rapes, that it
about to take a black woman’s word must be the new fast food the
over that of white men. young people are eating. The
Now here’s another event, one This woman in New Delhi, India, is protesting the lack of fast food causes hormonal imbal-
prosecution of rapists.
that just took place: ance, creating sexual urges in
young women.
Shana, just 16 years old, was walking home when she I know that this reaction to Shana’s rape sounds incredible,
was grabbed by several men and forced into a small stone and frankly, it is. The problem is that this did happen.
shelter at the edge of a field. There, for three hours, eight
men raped her. When they were finished, they told Shana to For Your Consideration
keep her mouth shut. They would kill her if she told anyone.
Shana told no one. The shame would bring severe ↑ Can you compare the racial caste system that used to ex-
dishonor to her family. Besides, what good would it do? ist in the United States with the religious caste system that
Shana is a Dalit, formerly called an Untouchable. She is a currently exists in India? Can you see how a caste system
poor member of a caste in poverty, one that is despised by prevents people from receiving justice? In what ways other
the Jat caste that controls the society. (Yardley 2012) than rape does a caste system tolerate and perhaps encour-
age exploitation? Finally, do you see how the ruling Jat class
I don’t need to point out the parallels to you. “blamed the victim” instead of the rapists? How does this
Then something unusual happened. One of the rapists protect the caste system?

To prevent their vast land holdings from being carved into smaller chunks, members
of the nobility practiced primogeniture, allowing only firstborn sons to inherit land. The
other sons had to find some way to support themselves, and joining the clergy was a
favorite way. (Other ways included becoming an officer in the military or practicing law.)
The church was appealing because priests held lifetime positions and were guaranteed
a comfortable living. At that time, the church sold offices, and, for example, a wealthy
man could buy the position of bishop for his son, which guaranteed a high income.