Page 28 - Scout_souviner_bw.indd

Ar cle

Till then, SLEEP

else can they do? Educate their daughter It’s only when the viola ons are
and see her burn or save a fair amount outrageous, when small children are
for her dowry? Also there is a concept raped, when women are assaulted by
among parents in some communi es that gangs, when the police refuse to register
it would be worthless to spend money cases, when survivors are vic mised by
on a girl’s educa on as she will soon get state and non-state actors, that these
married and leave them anyway. stories get space in the newspapers.
He wants to marry a girl who is raised Nowadays, rape cases have just become
as delicately as a fl ower by her family so a medium of earning money and publicity
that he can quench his thirst for lust. He for the media and Youtubers. Nothing
Kusum Paudel wants his wife to feed his family, wash more than that.
all his dirty clothes and act in all ways to There are stories of judges le ng go
fulfi ll all the demands raised by his family. of perpetrators, police refusing to fi le the
In other words, be the godmother of cases, and stories of state representa ves
A girl was raped. They say it was the his family. However, on the contrary, he forcing women to get married to their
fault of her dress. The short dress she always hopes, prays and even bribes for rapists, so that they can be raped for the
wears lead to this incident. No, it was not not bege ng a baby girl. He wants a baby rest of their lives.
her dress; but their dominant mindset boy. He kills the girl child in the womb itself It’s 2018. The rest of the world is
that this community has off ered them in and wholeheartedly worships Goddess talking about #MeToo and in Nepal, like
legacy of being a male members, which Laxmi, Durga and Kali - Irony at its best. much of South Asia, the conversa on
leads to incidents like these. Not just a In a world so cruel, where humanity feels like a non-starter.
girl in mini-skirt was raped but a girl in no longer exists, rape has become so Stories of violence against women
her Burka too. A girl in her 20’s was raped common and the bi er truth is that and girls are omnipresent and there is
and a girl who was 5 also got the same people don’t even care. an urgency for ac on. There remains a
worst experience. The increasing number of rape cases ques on unanswered, there remains a
They said women are the goddess of in Nepal has made us feel like personal voice unheard but there is a hope too;
your house. But the same woman is burnt safety is a privilege rather than a right. which is not searched for! Once again,
to death by her own family just because There was a me when rape cases were women have to and will protest against
she couldn’t bring enough dowry . Her only showcased on the interna onal rape on Interna onal Women’s Day.
parents spent a lot of me, emo ons and news portal. Something that was so Actually, it’s us, the people who call
money on her educa on and upbringing. absurd, and hard to imagine of. But now, ourselves educated, responsible and what
Is that not enough? She can fi nancially it has come around; in every corner of not . All of us know nothing else but to light
support him a er marriage also, if she our neighbourhood. a candle and chant the same old slogans
allowed to work. But the bi er truth In the past seven years, 6,627 cases for a day or two a er someone is raped.
is that his ego sha ers when his wife of rapes were reported to Nepal Police. Who is responsible for the jus ce of these
starts working and earning. Why should Of it, 4,589 were rapes and 2,038 were vic ms and their families. This uncertain
a women always be a housewife despite a empts. Every year, 946 cases of rapes and inhumane act has possessed a threat
her knowledge, educa on and skills? He were reported, 78 each month. But it to all females. Who knows it could be you
says he is educated and has a class. Is that has risen signifi cantly over the last few next? Yes, the one reading this. It could
what makes him deserve the dowry? Wait, months. According to recent sta s cs, be you. If you’re a guy it could be your
I think he took the concept of barter a bit 108 rape cases are reported on an average sister, your wife, your girlfriend, your
too seriously. (Barter- Exchanging one every month in Nepal. Sadly, these are mother, your daughter. It can be anyone.
commodity for the other). So basically, just the reported ones, there are plenty Easily anyone. And yet again, she could be
he sold himself for the girl-cheers to him. of other unreported cases due to the fear vic mised. And yet again, the jus ce could
He wants dowry for marrying a girl of public shaming by the society. be denied. And yet again, the culprit could
or so to say, for taking her away from her The maximum penalty for rape under walk in the same community freely. And
parents. Isn’t it that we are prac sing it in the Nepalese Penal Code is 20 years yet again, and yet again, and again and
the opposite manner? Instead, shouldn’t imprisonment. But the punishment is just again !!!!!!! Un l when?
the husband be grateful and off er to the limited in words. Neither the police nor I sincerely do not hope to encounter
girl’s family for raising and taking care of the government are taking this ma er another incident making the headlines
her for making her able so that she can seriously. The rapists are moving freely about your daughter, sister, mother or
take care and fl ourish his family? Wouldn’t amongst us without the fear of being someone you really care about. Hopefully
that actually be a fair prac ce? Parents arrested. Rape is being normalised by then, you will fi nally wake up. Till then,
from poor families don’t spend money now. It has become the “background sleep...
on their daughter’s educa on. Instead wallpaper for news”, as Rebecca Solnit (writer is Ranger scout
they save the money for dowry. What says in her essay The Longer War. of Dynamic Scout crew)

26 26