Chinook
08-29-2016, 02:26 PM
http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/29/asia/india-skirt-safety-advice-women-trnd/index.html
India's tourism minister is furiously backpedaling after suggesting that women who visit India shouldn't wear skirts for their own safety.
Mahesh Sharma made the comments over the weekend while promoting a welcome kit that will be handed out to tourists when they arrive in India.
"There's a card in there listing the do's and don'ts. Basic things like, 'Don't go out at night alone.' 'Don't wear skirts.'"
The outrage was immediate. And for good reason.
A string of sexual assaults against foreign women has sullied India's reputation.
The country has amended its laws to broaden the definition of rape to include any form of penetration; it lists out strict punishments not only for rape but also for sexual assault, voyeurism and stalking.
But still, every high-profile case -- and there have been several -- brings the question to the forefront again: Is India doing enough to protect women? Is it creating a strong enough deterrent for crimes against women?
I mean, I think it's wrong-headed to assume skirts increase the chance of rape, but I guess there could be data to back that up. Obviously, rape isn't the woman's fault, but I do think people have being willfully retarded on this issue. There's a difference between blaming the victim and proposing strategies individuals can take to be safer.
Like no one should have to worry about being shot for just walking down the street, but we don't seem to have a problem with suggesting that people don't go around prowling the ghetto at night. And no one should have to worry about getting their car stolen, but it's still not a big deal when someone reminds you to lock your vehicle before leaving.
The specific part about the skirts may be stupid, and India may have a ways to go before actually protecting women from assault, but giving practical advice on how to be a safe as possible given the current conditions shouldn't incite this level of vitriol. People need to get over themselves.
India's tourism minister is furiously backpedaling after suggesting that women who visit India shouldn't wear skirts for their own safety.
Mahesh Sharma made the comments over the weekend while promoting a welcome kit that will be handed out to tourists when they arrive in India.
"There's a card in there listing the do's and don'ts. Basic things like, 'Don't go out at night alone.' 'Don't wear skirts.'"
The outrage was immediate. And for good reason.
A string of sexual assaults against foreign women has sullied India's reputation.
The country has amended its laws to broaden the definition of rape to include any form of penetration; it lists out strict punishments not only for rape but also for sexual assault, voyeurism and stalking.
But still, every high-profile case -- and there have been several -- brings the question to the forefront again: Is India doing enough to protect women? Is it creating a strong enough deterrent for crimes against women?
I mean, I think it's wrong-headed to assume skirts increase the chance of rape, but I guess there could be data to back that up. Obviously, rape isn't the woman's fault, but I do think people have being willfully retarded on this issue. There's a difference between blaming the victim and proposing strategies individuals can take to be safer.
Like no one should have to worry about being shot for just walking down the street, but we don't seem to have a problem with suggesting that people don't go around prowling the ghetto at night. And no one should have to worry about getting their car stolen, but it's still not a big deal when someone reminds you to lock your vehicle before leaving.
The specific part about the skirts may be stupid, and India may have a ways to go before actually protecting women from assault, but giving practical advice on how to be a safe as possible given the current conditions shouldn't incite this level of vitriol. People need to get over themselves.