Violence against women has led to significant impacts on their lives, limiting their ability to participate in education, employment, and public life. This has resulted in substantial economic costs, including increased healthcare expenses, lost productivity, and strain on social services. Apart from this, violence against women induces cycles of poverty, inequality, and social injustice, making it a massive roadblock towards significant achievements to achieve sustainable development and human well-being.
The underlying mindset is that from a very early age, Women are wired and socialised to accept violence and if they make this public, the shame is on them. It does not imply that women inherently accept violence; rather, it reflects a range of responses influenced by various circumstances. Past experiences, trauma history, and learned behaviours can shape women’s responses to violence. Many women who have experienced intimate partner violence may develop coping mechanisms that involve acceptance or minimization of the violence they face.
This can be linked to concepts such as learned helplessness, where repeated exposure to uncontrollable situations makes individuals feel powerless and more likely to accept their circumstances. Fear is another critical factor influencing women’s acceptance of violence. Many women may tolerate violent behaviour due to fear of further harm if they resist or leave the relationship. This fear can create a cycle where the victim feels trapped in a situation without viable options for escape.
Support systems significantly impact how women respond to violence. Women who lack access to resources such as shelters, counselling services, or legal assistance may feel compelled to endure violent situations rather than seek help.
Violence against women is fundamentally a human rights violation. When society fails to recognize and address this issue, it perpetuates a culture that normalizes violence and discrimination against half of its population. Changing societal attitudes is crucial for effective prevention strategies. Education plays a vital role in reshaping perceptions about gender roles and relationships.
Engaging men and boys in discussions about respect, equality, and non-violence is essential for fostering an environment where violence is not tolerated. A change in the collective, entrenched ideas about gender identity, patriarchy, power, and gender norms within policy dialogues and development projects is a must to ensure impact. Many women were/are subjected to being harassed, assaulted and by those who felt or feel as though they were or are in the right and looking to gain positions of power.
Women’s safety is a widespread problem that affects women in all regions and countries. According to various studies and reports, women are at risk of violence both in public and private spheres, in and around the home, in neighbourhoods and at the city level. Women’s safety in our country is a widely discussed and serious problem. Women are not safe either at home or outside. This is the time to acknowledge and implement them to support women’s safety and freedom rights.
Sadly, years went by with a society that would rather brush things under the rug than face these wrongdoings head-on. Without support, even powerful women fall to the silence that follows any type of assault. The number of women and girls coming into contact with the criminal justice system, as victims, witnesses and prisoners, has increased in the past twenty years.
The impact of women’s safety concerns can be severe and long-lasting. Women who experience violence or harassment may suffer from physical and emotional trauma and may be forced to limit their activities and movements to stay safe. This can have a significant impact on their ability to participate in education, employment, and other aspects of life. The way to liberation from such dastardly acts of rape and increasing crime rates across the globe can only be stopped when there is a paradigm shift in the mindset of many. The preconceived notion that anything can happen in this country and one can scott-free like a firefly, is in actuality the root cause of germinating such ideas that the law will somehow give refuge to such perpetrators of crime for years until the final verdict is pronounced.
It is high time to revise criminal laws and emphasises on very serious consequences if such unimaginable barbaric acts of unimaginable trauma are committed overlooking physical assault, rape and barbaric acts of inhumane psychotic mindset is not okay, trying to make such incidents like the Kolkata Rape Case disappear and knowing about it while not doing anything about it isn't going to change anything.
We are humans and all deserve to be treated with respect. By investing in women’s advancement and women's justice leaders, we can help ensure that justice is better served and that women and all members of our societies are met with fairness and equality before the law, for the benefit of all. Ending violence against women is important because it is essential for promoting gender equality, ensuring women’s empowerment, and creating a more just and peaceful society.
By ending violence against women, we can help to prevent the physical, emotional, and mental harm that women suffer, and promote their full participation in all aspects of life. This, in turn, can help to reduce poverty, promote economic growth, and improve overall well-being.
When concerns are voiced at local, national, and international levels, they can lead to significant legal reforms aimed at protecting women from violence. Many cultures have ingrained beliefs that normalize or trivialize abuse, leading to a cycle of silence and acceptance. By speaking out, individuals and organizations can help shift perceptions, promote gender equality, and foster an environment where violence is not tolerated. Collaborative efforts can lead to more effective strategies for prevention, protection, and prosecution related to gender-based violence.
About The Author
Mayaa SH is an Indian author who has quintessentially changed the tidal waves of time by openly and frankly writing boldly about contemporary issues of women and the experiences of numerous women. She is a prominent Indian poetess, memoirist and a known name in Contemporary Literature whose work is known for her open discussion on women’s rights and voices and experience of being an Indian woman.
Most of her writings deal with women living in a patriarchal society (male-dominated society). Mayaa SH is best known for getting logical congruence for understanding the role of tradition and societal dogma in shaping women’s lives and identities speaks on how she underwent character assassination and the resistance she culminated as the urge to not react. In her words, “It’s natural to want to defend yourself, but this can often make the situation worse.
Mayaa SH also known as Mayaa Devi, Mayaa Tai, Mayaa Di, Mayaa Audio SH, Pushpa ‘The Fire’, Padma Of The East, Lady Robin Hood, Lady Karl Marx, MS Dhoni Of Writing, Lady Singham, Female Chulbul Pandey and Lady Gandhi is a known name in Contemporary Literature.
She is a Multi-National Award Winner, a thirteen times World Record Holder, An Artist, a Podcaster, a Record Chart Topping International Fastest Anthology Co-Authoress and has been chosen as number 1 of The Modern Literary Stars Of India, in 2022 by Cherry Book Awards for making a valuable contribution to Contemporary Indian Literature.
She has Won In Memorable Performance in the category termed ‘Other than English write-ups “ for her appreciation of hard work, creativity and dedication in Grand Christmas Competition 2.0 which has been a world record event of the largest creative event hosted online with more than 1000+ participants. She has depicted gender inclusivity and equality through her certifications from the United Nations and powerful writings on Feminism, Gender Equality, Transforming Vision Into Action: Transmogrification on Transgender Community and Mental Health Awareness Topics.
Her work depicts the identity, economic and social freedom of many. She has co-authored more than one hundred fifty-plus anthologies with fourteen solo books and has been aligned with more than eighty-six publication houses. She has been featured in several magazines and women-oriented oriented like Tejaswi - The Imperishable on Women Power and Honour including a few international magazines.
Her first poem “The Candle In The Wind” made her win an Award at the National Level. Mayaa SH is legendary for epitomizing the modernization of the Indian feminine poetic psyche. Her writing is a very strong expression of feminine sensibility.
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