"Surveys suggest that as few as
one in 10 cases [of rape] are ever
reported to the police in many countries"
Top 5 Countries with the Highest Rates of Rape The International Business Times (UK), January 2014
The Times of India reports in a July 2014 article that "If one goes by the latest statistics of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), every day 93 women are being raped in the country."
The article explains that the total number of reported rape cases in India has gone up. In 2012, a total of 24,923 rapes were reported while in 2013 the total number came to 33,707. This means that more women are coming forward and filing reports; more women are speaking up about what is being done to them. I can only hope the trend continues, and 2014 will see even more reports.
Wikipedia's article Rape in India puts the above numbers into perspective. Looking at the same data, the article explains that "24,923 rape cases were reported across India in 2012, while the 5 year average over 2007-2011 was 22,000 rapes a year." The article continues:
Adjusted for population growth over time, the annual rape rate in India has increased from 1.9 to 2.0 per 100,000 people over 2008-2012 period.
This compares to a reported rape rate of:
- 1.2 per 100,000 in Japan
- 3.6 per 100,000 in Morocco
- 4.6 rapes per 100,000 in Bahrain
- 12.3 per 100,000 in Mexico
- 24.1 per 100,000 in United Kingdom
- 28.6 per 100,000 in United States
- 66.5 per 100,000 in Sweden
- 114.9 rapes per 100,000 in South Africa
Ninety-three women raped each and every day, just in India. Ninety-three women equals "only" two women per 100,000 on average, yet that is two too many as far as I am concerned. Putting "only two" into perspective: Two women out of 100,000 today could be my mother and my aunt. Two women tomorrow could be my two sisters. Two women the day after could be my two grandmothers. Two women the next day could be my two nieces. Two women the day after that could be two of my colleagues. Two women the day after that one could be myself and my best friend. Even 'only two' is two too many.
Rape is one of the cruellest and most demeaning things one person can do to another. It is a physical, mental and emotional violation, it is someone using you without your consent, it is demeaning and degrading and a horrible experience to go through. Whatever the motive or reason for rape, whether one claims a woman 'was asking for it' or the brothel was closed or whatever - There is nothing at all that makes it okay or acceptable or something women should simply put up with. While yes, men too get raped, I imagine that as a whole, the males of this world would not put up with being raped, with being violated and assaulted and used and abused. If it was men instead of women being raped, perhaps men would finally see the damage they are causing. Women are not made of plastic like blow-up dolls, we are not made of wood or metal, we are not toys to play with or things to use - we are people, human beings who are just as human as men are.
If there is anything to 'like' about the rape statistics above (in a silver lining to a dark black cloud sort of way), it is that the numbers show that rape and violence against women are not restricted to one region of the world or one religion or way of thinking. I chose to highlight India because - I admit - I expected India's statistics to somehow be more shocking than the stats from other countries. In the end, what shocked me most where the statistics from other countries.
Countries from Europe, America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East are in the above list of bullet points, meaning that rape and violence against women happens in countries in all of those regions. Rape is not restricted to any one country, region, religion or way of thinking. Rape happens wherever human beings live. Rape happens wherever some human beings somehow believe that is not morally wrong to violate, mistreat, use and abuse other human beings for their own pleasure. Rape happens wherever some believe that they are better than others, and sadly that means it happens all over the world.
Rape is one of the cruellest and most demeaning things one person can do to another. It is a physical, mental and emotional violation, it is someone using you without your consent, it is demeaning and degrading and a horrible experience to go through. Whatever the motive or reason for rape, whether one claims a woman 'was asking for it' or the brothel was closed or whatever - There is nothing at all that makes it okay or acceptable or something women should simply put up with. While yes, men too get raped, I imagine that as a whole, the males of this world would not put up with being raped, with being violated and assaulted and used and abused. If it was men instead of women being raped, perhaps men would finally see the damage they are causing. Women are not made of plastic like blow-up dolls, we are not made of wood or metal, we are not toys to play with or things to use - we are people, human beings who are just as human as men are.
If there is anything to 'like' about the rape statistics above (in a silver lining to a dark black cloud sort of way), it is that the numbers show that rape and violence against women are not restricted to one region of the world or one religion or way of thinking. I chose to highlight India because - I admit - I expected India's statistics to somehow be more shocking than the stats from other countries. In the end, what shocked me most where the statistics from other countries.
Countries from Europe, America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East are in the above list of bullet points, meaning that rape and violence against women happens in countries in all of those regions. Rape is not restricted to any one country, region, religion or way of thinking. Rape happens wherever human beings live. Rape happens wherever some human beings somehow believe that is not morally wrong to violate, mistreat, use and abuse other human beings for their own pleasure. Rape happens wherever some believe that they are better than others, and sadly that means it happens all over the world.