The 4Ws of Rape

The 4Ws of Rape

The events following the Delhi rape have refused to subside; there is anger, passion, emotion, and though unfortunate, some theatrics. This blog analyses the Rape along four dimensions and discusses policies, preventative measures, etc that are important in this context..

The What of Rape

Different countries define rape differently
. There has to be consensus built on the definition of rape and the definition must be extended to include sexual assault. No such assault is minor since the intent of the hunter is criminal. In general, any physical or verbal contact without consent must be included in the ambit of rape. Often times, the victims are ridiculed; such ridicule must also be part of the offense.

 

The Why of Rape

There are 3 typical categories of rape:

(i)            Rape of minors and seniors: The perpetrators are psychopaths and are mentally deranged

(ii)           Random rapes, where the perpetrator randomly picks up a victim. There can be 2 potential reasons for such rapes - perpetrators are either obnoxiously drunk and want to have "fun" or they have a long history of hatred for the "type" that they find the victims represent.

(iii)          Acquaintance Rapes, where the victim and the perpetrator know each other or at least have some acquaintance. The motive behind such crimes may be display of power, authority or revenge.    

The When of Rape

This pertains to reporting of the incident. Often times, such cases are not reported, either by the victims themselves or the police don’t record them to avoid the "hassle". As a society, we must empathise the victims and have such cases reported at the earliest. A victim must never be ridiculed for "inviting" rape, since no one wants to be raped. As pointed out earlier, a ridicule must also be criminally charged.

Given the nature of the crimes, investigators and police must be specially trained to handle such cases. Time is crucial here. Justice delayed is justice denied- such agencies must work to deliver results in a timely fashion.

The Who of Rape

There are very few rehabilitation centers for the victims. Rape is a mental trauma for the victims and they need help and support from people near them. Family and friends must be available to support them. The police and other concerned agencies must demonstrate genuine concern.  As for the perpetrators, rape is equivalent to a murder, since in both cases, the aggression demonstrated is of the worst kind. The highest form of punishment as ordained by the country laws must be reserved for the perpetrators. 

While rape crimes can never be completely eradicated from the society, there are multiple proactive steps taken to reduce them, increase awareness about rapes, parents need to educate their kids about rape and make it  a less taboo subject make victims socially acceptable, and strengthen the laws so that the perpetrators can be punished at the highest level.