Ever since we became civilized,
Mommy has been saying: don’t talk to strangers. However, she hasn’t
realized that the times have changed. At least in India, more than any other country
on this earth. If you are still wondering, then, perhaps, you missed out on the
second episode of “Satyamev Jayate”.
After having missed the first episode of this highly talked
about and watched television show of Aamir
Khan, I had committed to myself to watch it every Sunday morning which, of
course, I couldn’t keep. Just remembering the topic and the episode disturbs me
immensely. I am sure my feelings are mutual with millions of my fellow country
folks.
In his first episode, after having provoked our thoughts on
the rampant female foeticide in the 21st century India, Aamir brought nation’s attention to one of
the most prevalent evils in our society but hidden apparently in hearts and
minds of millions of its victims – young children who eventually grow up into
victimized adults. He showed the real picture of how we treat and take care
of our children. He shared some horrific facts about the percentages of
children being abused sexually in hands of their near-dear ones, not strangers,
as we may like to believe.
The statistics are shocking.
Almost 50% of our children get sexually
abused – at homes mostly. Thus, every second child – on an average – i.e.
every second person we meet could have been tortured by their secret tormentor
for sex. And the ratio of boys to girls
is bigger at 53%. The dispersion of
such children is even across all strata of our society.
The crime is so
shocking that listening to the narratives of its unfortunate children, now
adults, gave me goose bumps and tears in my eyes. They all had similar
tales to tell: that the predators were the usual psychic criminals – without
any remorse or repentance; the difference lied in the fact that they were
almost always someone very close to the child and thus absolutely trustworthy
by the family. And they acted with utmost
confidence and meticulous planning. Those psychics chose their target after
having analyzed the child’s closeness to each member of the family and that how
much he/she would be believed if his acts were exposed by the brutalized child.
They did not of course forget to threaten the child from getting killed in case
he/she dared.
One of the most
shockingly bizarre aspects that came to light was the reluctance on part of
child’s family – mother in particular to believe her own child’s accounts of
sexual abuses. Firstly, and understandably, almost in all the cases the
child is scared to talk; even if he/she gets the courage, he/she hardly gets
any support from his/her own family – and this uniquely bizarre behavior is
mostly manifested by the mother as the child speaks to her first. And this
‘disbelief’ leads to the child’s sexual torture being continued for years –
mostly till he/she is almost about to embark on adulthood, when he/she finally
musters the courage to stop the perpetrator’s advances with force. But by that time the scars go too deep.
If our society boasts of 50% people having suffered from
child sex abuse, and with no guarantee that the “other half” would not indulge
into this heinous crime when grown up, it
paints a scary picture!
What kind of a
society are we building around us? One cannot trust even somebody in the
family! It is worst than a jungle! Our animal instinct stinks!
Now I have begun to
understand human psychology and behavior a bit better, and the reason behind
the fact that majority of people around us are meek and weak, who are either
hugely scared or immensely insecure. Very few individuals come across as
confident, courageous and happy in life. And no wonder we see people behave in
the most inexplicable manner! But the scariest part is that a scarred
psychology could lead to twisted idea
about life per se. Now I realize why Indians have that “typical” approach towards something as beautiful as union of two
people’s mind-body-soul, which in public language is termed as “sex”. After all, such a cold definition about
something as sacred can stem in a scarred & scared mind-body-soul only!
Watching Aamir’s show
I was wondering if every person I meet is either a child sex abuse victim or a
perpetrator himself (almost entirely males)! And I thanked my stars – God
and parents – for giving me a secure life, a sex-abuse free life! I said “thank
you” to God for being kind to me and let me have a normal and happy childhood,
in which all elder males in the family were equivalent to “father/brother” and
“proved” to be so! I am thankful to God for letting my faith remain intact that
as a female the ultimate trust could be reposed in these ‘male’ relationships –
“I
can trust “him” like my own father/brother” expression must have
stemmed from this core belief! Thanks, God, again :)
My mummy taught me
not to trust strangers; today’s mothers should teach their child to be wary of own
family males. That danger lurks within the four walls of home and not beyond
the boundary walls in the neighborhood. And this is the saddest part of our
existence … By chance, if it still
happens, then as a mother, she would be there to listen to her child and
protect him/her and fight for him/her.
Need of the time is an exemplary
strict law to deal with this prevalent criminal situation in almost every
home. And also real education on changing
people’s mindset on the meaning and value of life and everything related to
life, including “sex”. This education has to start at home – where it is needed
the most; mothers have to adapt revolutionary approach in bringing up their
male child. Then only India will be free from all societal evils and every
Indian – including innocent and helpless children – will live with dignity and
peace and happiness.
Finally, thank you,
Aamir, for bringing India’s focus on this utterly disgusting yet hidden societal
truth; hopefully, people will learn – to protect and protest against
perpetrators of such inhuman atrocities.
Satyamev Jayate :)
