For a very long time ( absolutely too long) there had been no form of law governing protection from marital rape in India.
This breaks my heart, not only because that something so inhumane and disgusting could be legally acceptable but also because this is the land of my family. India is still a developing nation and certainly doesn’t have the protections of certain values and ideas and liberties that I can enjoy freely in the states, but it slowly is making progress and moving in a positive direction which gives me hope, and any hope is important when you find yourself scrolling through news feeds seeing and reading about the horrible injustices occurring in the world.
This change didn’t happen relatively recently, but it’s an important landmark for India, and it’s important to acknowledge and spark future progress from, because there is still certainly more work to be done to protect the rights of India’s citizens and people. One action has the potential to incite further change, and that’s where real progress derives from.
India closed the loophole allowing for child-bride marital rape in its supreme court.
It ruled that sex with a 15-18-year-old is considered rape and thus a criminal offense. This is extremely important because it has started discussions to end child marriage. Child marriage in India is technically illegal, yet as Reuters found, “the 2011 census shows more than 5 million girls were wed before the legal age of 18.” This is a serious problem derivative of tribal traditions and societal norms. No, not all of India experiences this but clearly, it’s an issue if such high numbers of girls are facing maltreatment and inhumane treatment.
This isn’t just about creating a legal sentencing and changing ways of life but changing societal views, norms, and traditions.
However, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is quoted saying, “criminalizing marital rape will destabilize marriage.” He actually is worried that males won’t be protected when history shows it’s not only women but girls being taken advantage of via these old tribalistic laws and loopholes. He vocally is telling the nation that ancient, tribalistic, and social norms (that violate human rights) are far more important than the actual rights of humans.
It’s sad, and it pushes an agenda to continue and not make progress, which isn’t only frightening, it provides a bleak future for human rights in India. It’s not just upsetting it’s tragic. Mothers have to tell their daughters this is the way things are, and their daughters are expected to sit quietly and accept it. These young girls are taught nothing more but to be submissive, that they have to be subordinate and lesser than that they should be and stay powerless.
At this point, it’s up to coalitions, activist groups, and strong leaders to incite the change India needs to see. If government officials can’t fight and protect the rights of their people, then the people need to stand up and demand change and work for it. The government is still corrupt, but if changes like the abolishment of this loophole is possible, then it’s as important as ever to fight for more progressive change. If you cannot count on others to fight, you must fight yourself.
