Friday, January 9, 2009

Safety???

This is a forwarded message by one of my friend(Anusha). Thought it would be important to post it here.


Through a Rapist's Eyes (No Joke)

This is important information for females of ALL ages. Guys – please forward to the female members of your family and all your female friends and associates.

When this was sent to me, I was told to forward it to my lady friends.
I forwarded it to most everyone in my address book. My men friends have female friends and this information is too important to miss someone. Please pass it along.

A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:

1) The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

2) The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women whose clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around specifically to cut clothing.

3) They also look for women on their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.

4) Men are most likely to attack & rape in the early morning, between 5: 00a.m. and 8:30a.m.

5) The number one place women are abducted from/attacked is grocery store parking lots. Number two is office parking lots/garages. Number three is public restrooms.

6) The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to another location where they don't have to worry about getting caught.

7) Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 year sentence but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years.

8) If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn't worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9) These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas, or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands. Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys
You're not worth it.

10) Several defense mechanisms he taught us are: If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: "I can't believe it is so cold out here",
"We're in for a bad winter" Now you've seen their face and could identify them in a line-up; you lose appeal as a target.

11) If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell STOP or STAY BACK! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

12) If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,)! Yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

13) If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you can by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm (between the elbow and armpit) OR in the upper inner thigh VERY VERY HARD. One woman in a class
This guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands - the guy needed stitches.

Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it hurts.

14) After the initial hit, always GO for the GROIN I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you'll anger the guy and! Make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he's out of there.

15) When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.

16) Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don't dismiss it, and go with your instincts. Guy really is trouble.

PLEASE READ THEN FORWARD THIS TO EVERY WOMAN YOU KNOW, IT'S SIMPLE STUFF BUT IT COULD SAVE HER LIFE.....PLZ FORWARD IF YOU REALLY CARE FOR THE LADIES IN YOUR LIFE!!!

Writuparna Dutta

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

It's Getting Filthier!

I really can't take it any more! I just opened the morning newspaper to find out the further development in the Noida gang rape case. To my utter surprise and shock, I read the statement of a "village elder", who says, "She was just raped, it is not that big a deal". Another one too joins him, whom I quote here verbatim, "She must have done something to anger them. Agreed the boys made a mistake but it is not that big a crime. The girl is at fault here. These big city types come here and corrupt our village." I wonder if the gentleman would have said the same, had it happened to his own daughter, though I really hope this doesn't happen. Why should the girl suffer for the rotten mentality of her father?

But this has once again triggered the debate if the woman is at fault by "provoking" the men. Here, I would like to remind all those who think so that FOR GOD'S SAKE, NO WOMAN INVITES A RAPE. Moreover, as I surmise, appearance and even clothes are not a "deciding factor" for a rapist as to whether or not a rape a girl. Had it been the case, we probably would have never had rape cases of minors, eldrely ladies and sari-clad women.

The reason why such cases are on the large is because of such "elderly gentlemen" who think that it is not that big a deal. Unless such people continue to live in our society, our women will continue to be assaulted. I strongly feel that along with the accused, their near and dear ones too, who are trying to protect them by making such silly statements, should also be prosecuted. This is no less than a defamation. Accusing the girl who is raped by their "worthy" sons of provoking them is the most horrible crime. Before taking any action on the accused, these people must be punished. Only then we can expect this country to be a better and safer place for women.

Neha Gupta, Editor in a Publishing Company, A Woman

Yes, I admit, I live in a sick society. All the money Indian parents spent on their son's education -- while depriving the girl child of her equal rights -- produced this: A bunch of educated rapists.
BBA, BCA, BSc, ... (This is the info I get from my newspaper abt the rapists.)
To many Indian men, even these degree credentials read as acronyms for vulgar slangs ... one more go at demeaning anything woman ...

Congratulations to us, we are schooled to be the best engineers, managers and a host of other economically useful, market-oriented people. But as Writuparna Dutta has rightly pointed out -- we certainly forgot to take a moment to be human.

Anusha Vaidyanathan, Publishing

Think before you leap

'' Think before you leap.''

This phrase is to be mandatorily adapted in our daily life. To move around in delhi and NCR, its getting tougher and ridiculous to survive as a decent citizen or earning respect as a woman of any age group. Women are not atall safe at any point of time/place. It has become a major concern about the safety of woman.

The recent gangrape in Noida and few other incidents before that has created a lot of tension and riftamong the woman especially and individual across the nation. The parents and senior citizen are traumatised because of the shameless blunder and anti social elements in society. We as responsible citizen have to seriously eradicate this psychological disorder of man at par with terrorism.
This psychpath criminals(rapist)should be punished by the people and government through castration and ousting them of teh civilised society. So taht next time there is no scope of any other individual to get into any such kind of dubious criminal activities. Lets us not feel deprived about our livelihood and enjoy all our fundamental rights. But being a bit more cautious and fearless and be more vigilantand responsible towards the society.

Pallavika Raju, Advertising Professional, Responsible Citizen, A woman

Anger, Anger, Anger

I stay in Mumbai, which is considered to be comparatively safer than Delhi NCR for women. Still this does not give me an assurance that I can return to the safety of my home at any time of the day or the night. I am regular local train commuter. I travel in the ladies compartment but you know what - I could still get harassed by men if I am not alert . You may ask where is the chance? The chance is on the platform and more so on the overcrowded over bridge. If you stray from the cluster of few women, % chances are there that you would be victimized. The usual modus operandi is that when a women is in the midst of crowd, a sick guy coming towards you would just move his hand so that while passing you he could pinch or feel your butt I have experienced this thrice and twice have been able to hit the guys. At other times I have been able to avoid this by keeping my eyes open and hands ready in hitting position.
The day when I wasn’t so lucky, my head was throbbing and I was burning with anger. I kept wishing if I could hit that BASTARD. This is nothing compared to what a rape victim has to go through. Her trauma is unimaginable. And just think how she must feel when the rapist(s) goes/ go scot-free.
What has been done cannot be undone but if such heinous crime goes unpunished what message are we sending across to the other SICK @$$HOLES? Such guys should be hanged with that very organ which controls their thought process and prevents them from thinking sanely. And they should be hung till it separates from their body leaving them castrated.

P.S. Why do we always have to look upto men for security? The constable guarding the ladies compartment at night are males. What happens if you are the lone traveller and his sense of duty takes a back seat? Why are we at the mercy of men and for how long? Such crimes won't stop until the punishment given to them is SO SO SO cruel that such men would shiver even at the thought of raping a female.

Cameli Sutradhar

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

A Viable Solution to the Problem

The shameful incident of the gang rape of the 24-year-old that took place yesterday in Noida made me cringe in pain. The Delhi-NCR region is largely becoming unsafe for women. What is even worse is that whenever such an incident takes place, there is but a momentary media hype followed by talk shows, SMS polls, et al, which is of little help to the victim. On the contrary, she is further tortured by her pain being publicised as a national news. No one understands what she must be going through and what effect must it be bearing on her already traumatised being.

This is not the first time that such an unfortunate incident has taken place. What is even more unfortunate is that seldom such cases are solved. The Maulana Azad Medical College and the Swiss Diplomat Rape Cases still remain pending in the courts of law. Considering this scenario, it seems that justice might come, but not before the constant poking and social stigma have robbed the victims off their lives, something what happened in the Hetal Rape Case of Kolkata. The justice came ten long years after the death of the victim. And even after that, despite the accused being awarded the death sentence, the debates were going if the death sentence should be reduced to life imprisonment or something even less than that.

Taking such circumstances into account, it seems evident that it is futile to rely on the legislature for justice. At least in the cases (like in the recent one), where the accused have been arrested, identified, and what more, they have even admitted their crime, the solution is that without victimising the girl any further, the culprits are castrated in public. The trials and further court proceedings may continue at their own pace.

Let it be a lesson for those who think that owing to the slow legislature of the country, they can easily victimise a girl and still go free

Neha Gupta

anguish!!!

I am emotionally shattered and traumatised with the recent incident. This trauma has all the more incised immence anger within me towards men race. Are we paying the depth of being the weaker sex. It is turning into a curse. "Rape" this four letter word doesnt really sounds as scary as it is for the person who had suffered it. This atrocious incident has incited anger which in turn is turning into madness, this madness will take a ugly shape and lead to a social catastrophe if this continues.
It becomes difficult to sleep thinking about something that happened but hasnt been witnessed. I can literally feel the trauma inside. It shatters our soul. Why cant i walk on the road without turning around to check if am not followed, will i never be independent enough to walk freely on my own.
I have learnt to live with the hungry staring eyes and uninvited touches. But how long ...i am screaming my lungs out...how long. Why has god shut his eyes towards weaker sex.
Although we shoudnt be doing this but still we are folding are hands in front of the society " please help us, so we can help ourselves" For once show the world what can happen when you dont treat a woman like human bieng"

"Gangrape should undoubtly be punished with death sentence.....after the torture.."

supriya negi, advertising professional, A woman

Is being a woman is a fault???

The recent gangrape incident in noida might be a passing phase for many or maybe just a piece of news which is highlighted, propogated and than put into as information. Most of the news about this incident and many like them are often placed or made as if a story being told. I as a citizen and woman feel really restless and claustophobic in this double standard society. Are man of indian society so dubious and frustrated that to prove their masculity they have to play with a woman's life. I dont want to be philosophical or a preacher and neither intend to put man as the hunter and woman as prey. What i want to say is lets not prove ourself to be so inhuman.
Is this 21st century where we belive that every individual inspite of ther cast creed gender and any discrimination will put their right foot forward and contribute in the nation's development. But is this the society we are looking for our future children. I think its time enough that we should prove ourself to be HUMAN for once. The rapist are not human so lets not talk about human rights this time please :) There are many time we abuse a woman, think her to be apiece of shit, a doormat. Lets respect her for once and if not anything lets respect thegender which has given us birth. Im sorry i mite sound frustrated, angry, pleading, restless, submissive, outrageous or many more english words, but am not. Am just trying to be human for once.

We need instant decision to be taken about those rapist. We want no more excuses. Lets join together and prove a point that it not that easy to keep us down. We want the rapist to be castrated. Simple as that. IF THEY CAN RAPE A WOMAN THEY ARE NOT MAN FOR SURE. sO CASTRATION WOULD MAKE THEM REALISE THEY ARE NO MORE PART OF THIS CIVILISED SOCIETY ANYMORE. tHEY SHOULD BE OUTCASTED AND SHOWED THEIR PATH TO MASCULINITY IN THEiR OWN WAYS.

Please make a difference .

Writuparna Dutta

Monday, January 5, 2009

wish u all a very happy new year

Writuparna Dutta

I feel an extra energy surrounding me within me this year. Something is going to happn in big way in 2K9 i suddenly feel rejuvenated. Loads of dream maybe settling down as reality. Started the year hopefully with 2 clients within a span of 10 days which is good in this recession time. But am not being complacent or too happy with the developments. Keeping myself level headed, raring to go and achieve more in the coming days. One of the immediate responsibility hogging my head is the formation of CFI (CITIZEN FIRST INTERNATIONAL). Hope TO COMPLETE THAT BY FEBRUARY 1ST 2009 AND THAN AWAITING FOR A LONG RUN IN THE AREA WHICH I ALWAYS CHERISHED TO BE PART OF THE SOCIAL ACTIVITIES RATHER THan SOCIAL WORK. I want to be socially responsible towards myself and the world around and would like to take the onus on me to be a better citizen of India as well as world. Mite be sounding like a preacher now but that is my inner words. Introspection, Retrospection and loads of action with a proper plan is the motto ahead. Hope you guys will have a rocking year ahead. God bless and share your future dreams with us. Love writuparna