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Dozens of feminist texts by now have made it amply clear that structures and processes such as citizenship, nationality, democracy or the state are not gender-neutral, and that violence against women is the primary reason for their economic exploitation. Theories of traditional Marxism and Radical feminism have been quite ineffectual in fighting violence: Marx was too general in that he included the oppression of women within the overall rubric of exploitation, arguing that once private property is eradicated, the exploitation of women will automatically come to an end. Radical Feminism, on the other hand, is more woman-specific in investigating the connection of women with nature and of men with culture. In a climate of incompetent and feeble systems of government and legal reform, Kannabiran and Menon nonetheless enumerate the various ways in which the law and justice machinery has been helpful in changing the existing legal system and introducing new laws. But one is yet to see signs of visible change since law in most cases exists on paper only. On an examination of the legal system, e.g., it is discovered that rape is determined by an examination of the woman’s past sexual history. In the case of Rameeza Bi and Mathura, aspersions were cast on character instead of determining whether rape had in reality been committed. This finally moved the judges to take a look within the system to initiate reform. Like the confusion regarding the meaning and implications of rape, "outraging of modesty" is another archaic phrase which is unclear even to legal experts. What does it signify: "womanly propriety", "shame", "chastity", "decency", "decorous in manner and conduct" or as the Supreme Court chooses to interpret it, "inherent bashfulness of women"? Kannabiran’s article exposes the very ambiguity of the legal language that puts the lives of people in jeopardy of interpretation. Despite being fair to the law and the judiciary, the book highlights the inherent discrimination against women even in the framing of laws. A prejudice that is generally held is that Indian women function naturally as housewives. The law thus gravitates towards women who play out their caring role competently and observe the gender-based division of labour. In the Military Nursing Service, e.g., "a person could remain in service after marriage only if she justified her continuance by showing extra efficiency in the years preceding her marriage." Again, the judiciary is at pains to point out that Indian women are different from their western counterparts because they are "tradition-bound" and thus cannot claim equality if it threatens to overlook Indian cultural mores. In another chapter, Menon attempts to expose the system of the Indian Railways and the cases of rape, eve-teasing and insults from which railway authorities are unable to protect women passengers: "these experiences underlined ... just how male and aggressive our public spaces can be for women, and how and why their mobility is so constrained." The systems of governmental protection, in being silent and helpless, seem to indicate that "women should expect violence if they venture out of the private domain into the public." Another of her essays on the sexual crimes against women during the Godhra riots is a chilling document against state perpetuated atrocities upon minorities. In the case of Manorama, who was accused of insurgency but shot in her vagina to obviously hide the evidence of rape, an accusing finger is pointed at the Indian armed forces stationed in the northeast who have been given special powers that are frequently misused. The book highlights the circumstances of many women who have been victimised and are still seeking public redressal like Bhanwari Devi, a 50-year-old dalit woman, who was gang-raped as punishment for reporting cases of child marriages in Rajasthan. Even after 15 years, she waits for justice while the accused have been set free. The five provocative chapters are an effort at raising the consciousness among women for their right to life and to enumerate the variety of ways in which the women’s movements have indeed gained vibrancy.
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In today’s world, with
its rhetoric of liberalism and human rights, equality and gender
mobilisation, it has to be emphasised that sexual violence against women
continues unabated: rape, "honour" killings, dowry murders
through the bursting of countless kerosene stoves across the country,
violence in areas of armed conflict, foeticide, victimisation by the
state, the warped edicts and viciousness of village panchayats, the
prejudice of law, all are in need of urgent redressal.