ARE AVERAGE INDIAN WOMEN SHY SHAKY OR SCARED ?

Are Average Indian Women Shy, Shaky or Scared?                      

                                                                                                               Anisha Dutta

The Title may seem ridiculous. Factually Women are neither shy, nor shaky nor scared. Indian Society wishes and compels average women to act shy, shaky or scared. ‘Shyness’ is considered to get associated with modesty of a woman, which is a stupidity.

   Compared to Men, Women are better sex being kind and compassionate by nature. But as women are physically weaker sex, they ate compelled to restrict themselves from free movement under pressure of male dominated society. In India any girl from adolescence stays afraid of sexual abuse. They are scared because of brutality of wicked males. Otherwise they are free-minded and brave. ’Fear’ is not at all an instinct of woman, so that any such stigma could be attached to women.

      In India, from very childhood a girl is trained to be back at home within scheduled time not late at night. She is not allowed to go anywhere any time like boys. On emergency she should be escorted. She is criticised to break the norm of wearing traditional dresses. A girl is put in strict enclosure of rows of fences with lots of prohibitions. A girl is taught to fear outer world. Now a days, parents are scared to let young daughters move freely as day by day crime and violence against women are increasing. Solution lies on the fundamental concept ‘Educate the boys to behave good honouring girls.’

Indian heritage instructs a girl always to be polite not raising voice but to surrender and sacrifice. The idea is that a beautiful family could be built up only by selfless service of a woman. In that case woman dedicating her life without self-care will be destroyed. Modern civilization will declare ‘Most beautiful family will be built up by joint service of Men and Women, not by sacrifice of wife or mother or sister or daughter.’      

   After a certain age naturally, a girl becomes attractive to a boy. Society has put barriers on girls to avoid sexual abuse or rape outraging modesty of women. Society thinks women should be restricted but don’t think that men should be controlled. Problem is not the free movement of women, but the real problem is the atrocity of men. Men are to be trained to act and interact proper paying due respect to women.

     Traditional Hindu Proverb ‘Shyness is an ornament of a woman’ warns a woman not to be bold and loud. Male chauvinism declares ’Courage of woman invites danger in society. How? A woman is endangered by attack of devils. Rapists have licence to attack women at any opportune moment, so women should be imprisoned! In India rapists are hardly punished. On contrary responsibility of crime goes to helpless victim. If a woman behaves shy, scared devoid of courage, adamant arrogant man gets the advantageous status to dominate.

      FEAR does not reside in minds of women, but it exists in surroundings. Now women are progressing achieving higher education, availing of new working opportunities, getting more and more exposures. Automatically darkness of outer world is getting removed. Stepping out of domestic arena women are now facing broad spectrum. Her venture should be smooth to attain her goal not to be oppressed or suppressed by abuses or glass ceiling.

    A woman should be provided a safe and secured society. All Men are not tormentors or rapists and a single Man should not be a rapist or abuser. A Perfect Gentleman is polite, courteous, courageous and compassionate and pays respect to woman. Abusers in working places are not uncommon. Yet good co-workers and colleagues must outnumber the wicked guys. Nice Men should also raise voice if a Woman be found to be tortured.

     Since Co-Education is continuing, unnecessary fear of interaction with opposite sexes is driven out. Co-education is the prime prop where boys and girls grow up simultaneously as competitors, friends with genuine fellow feelings. From childhood boys should be trained to respect and help the weaker sex. Men are physically strong to protect and support women not to overpower. Both the sexes should advance cooperating and assisting each other. They may be contestants but surely not opponents.

     In family, study-circle, working place or in any social field JOINT JOURNEY with GENDER EQUITY is mandatory for successful progress in Human Civilization.