GENDER STEREOTYPING AND VIOLENCE: A GRAVE PROBLEM IN INDIAN SOCIETY
GENDER STEREOTYPING AND VIOLENCE: A GRAVE PROBLEM IN INDIAN SOCIETY
Achieving gender equality and empowerment for all women and girls is not only one of the key human rights issues but one of the 17 sustainable development goals highlighted throughout Agenda 2030 focusing on the theme “leave no one behind.” The goal of gender equality is important for developing countries like India where vulnerabilities, discrimination, marginalization persists leading to poor status and increased violence cases against women. The poor position of women can be linked with the concept of gender which is a social construct defining the qualities, roles and characteristics associated with males and females.
A “gender stereotype” is a commonly held view or preconception about attributes or characteristics that are or ought to be possessed by, or the roles that are or should be performed by, men and women. Women are claimed to be calm, poise, caring and nurturing whereas men are attributed to have qualities like strength, aggression, courage, assertiveness which leads to formation of gender stereotypes and a common misconception that women are weaker than men. The existence of such stereotypes leads to a serious negative consequence on exercise and enjoyment of individual rights and freedoms often leading to violence. Men assume that they are in a position of power and authority having a right to control life of a woman. According to the National Family Health Survey (NHFS 4) 30% of women in India falling in the age group of 15-49 have experienced physical violence and 31% of married women have experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence by their partners which is alarmingly high. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, describes violence against women as: “Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.
Most of the victims of gender-based violence are unable to speak up as violence is often normalized through systematic discrimination validated through norms forcing women to tolerate such behaviors making them incapable to raise their voice. There is a stigma, fear of judgement, lack of knowledge, awareness of rights and taboo revolving around violence due to which most of the cases go unreported. Some of the women, who are able to overcome the challenges at personal level and approach police officials face problems at times as prejudices, biases and stereotypes are held by the police officials themselves, which leads to apprehensions and improper treatment towards victims, snatching away the only possibility to seek any help.In India, women and girls who experience abuse, violence or harassment are often reluctant to approach the police for help for several reasons. Patriarchal beliefs of police officers towards women are one among many factors that shape this decision. Studies indicate that victim blaming is a common response from Indian police, especially in cases that involve women and girls. Discriminatory practices in policing not only favor the perpetrators of violence, but also prevent survivors from seeking justice. This inaction can have serious consequences for the mental wellbeing of complainants as they are more likely to suffer from persistent depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress.
Most of the victims of gender-based violence are unable to speak up as violence is often normalized through systematic discrimination validated through norms forcing women to tolerate such behaviors making them incapable to raise their voice. There is a stigma, fear of judgement, lack of knowledge, awareness of rights and taboo revolving around violence due to which most of the cases go unreported. Some of the women, who are able to overcome the challenges at personal level and approach police officials face problems at times as prejudices, biases and stereotypes are held by the police officials themselves, which leads to apprehensions and improper treatment towards victims, snatching away the only possibility to seek any help.In India, women and girls who experience abuse, violence or harassment are often reluctant to approach the police for help for several reasons. Patriarchal beliefs of police officers towards women are one among many factors that shape this decision. Studies indicate that victim blaming is a common response from Indian police, especially in cases that involve women and girls. Discriminatory practices in policing not only favor the perpetrators of violence, but also prevent survivors from seeking justice. This inaction can have serious consequences for the mental wellbeing of complainants as they are more likely to suffer from persistent depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress.
Women complainants still struggle with negative attitudes from male officers in many situations. Police officers on duty at times, hold negative perceptions regarding women. It is a form of misconduct that re-traumatizes the victim, undermines public safety, and destroys trust between law enforcement and the broader community. There is an urgent need to reform the current system means demonstrating legitimacy and building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve and protect. This
can only happen when discriminatory policing is identified, acknowledged, and rooted out.
An updated blog submitted by Ananya
