We the Women — Mustn’t Cry Over Another Rape Case

I felt the need to remind myself twice today — to not cry. I was reading the news on Kathua and I felt the tears well up. And then I saw the post mortem report in the Unnao case, and physically started shivering.

But I mustn’t cry — I told myself.

There will be more women and teens and girls and babies who will be gangraped and killed. For being in the wrong place, or talking to the wrong people, or wearing wrong clothes, or belonging to the wrong gender.

There will be men who will cheer each other on — fathers with daughters will question the victims’ dresses or drinks, brothers with sisters will question what did the victim do to provoke this. And men in general, living in a society of women in general, will lament that it’s unfair to blame all men. And then go about their lives, with no change.Until another ‘case’ comes up.

There will be vigils and protests — in support of the rapists. There will be immaculate law enforcement, to ensure the victim is silenced — if not killed already. There will be wives and sisters and mothers and daughters who wail and shriek at the victim, for even saying the R word.

There will be more mothers who will be haunted by death in the eyes of their babies, by the purpled bruises on wrists and torn off scraps of clothes. There will be more loss — of lives, and innocence, and hope. And the humanity of women.

So I mustn’t cry — because if I start ;

What will ever be the reason to stop?

I have no political leanings, no caste, creed, religion bias on these news. I don’t blame any clothes, or drinks or food choices — all of which are legitimate reasons by our leaders. I don’t blame the governments because sadly, this isn’t new news.

I just wish for a moment, we could just humanize the people who lost their everything, and remember that they too had families who loved them, waited for them to get home, smiled at them- they too were alive once.