Rape, Justice, And The Collapse Of Moral Conscience

Rape, Justice, And The Collapse Of Moral Conscience

India takes pride in its ancient civilization, cultural heritage, and moral values. We repeatedly invoke the glory of our past to assert our identity as a society rooted in dharma and justice. Yet this pride rings hollow when confronted with the grim reality of how women are treated today. If rape is not considered the “rarest of the rare” crime, then we must honestly question not only our legal system but also our collective moral conscience.

Our own epics draw a clear red line on the issue of women’s dignity. In the Ramayana,Ravana’s lustful gaze upon Sita led to his annihilation—not merely as personal revenge, but as a civilizational statement that a woman’s honour is inviolable. In the Mahabharata, the humiliation of Draupadi triggered a chain of events culminating in the destruction of thebKauravas. These narratives were not symbolic tales alone; they were moral codes meant to guide social behaviour.
Yet, in modern India, these principles appear disconnected from legal practice and social reality.Rape is often treated as an individual crime rather than a structural failure of society. It is discussed in terms of “exceptional brutality” instead of being recognized as a profound violation of bodily autonomy, dignity, and psychological well-being. Rape does not end with physical injury—it scars the survivor for life, forcing her to live with fear, trauma, and social stigma. The body becomes a site of pain, not safety.
According to official data, nearly 90 rapes are reported every day in India, involving victims ranging from infants to elderly women. These numbers do not even account for the vast underreporting driven by fear, shame, and social pressure. Despite this, public discourse frequently shifts blame onto women—questioning their clothes, habits, or choices—rather than addressing the deeper issue of male socialization and entitlement.
The question is not why women step out at night, but why society fails to teach boys respect,consent, and accountability. If an individual consistently violates social norms, sociology labels this as deviance. But when sexual violence becomes routine, it indicates not individual deviance but systemic breakdown.
The legal response has been equally troubling. The Nirbhaya case took seven long years to reach its conclusion. Marital rape remains outside the criminal framework, effectively denying married women bodily autonomy. Influential individuals accused or convicted of sexual crimes often receive bail with ease, eroding public faith in justice. Justice delayed—and diluted—is justice denied.
When wild animals threaten human settlements, the state does not hesitate to act. Yet when humans act with greater brutality, society still clings to misplaced hopes of reform while victims are asked to endure silence and suffering.
This is not the culture India claims to uphold. These are not the values taught by Ram or Krishna. If women are unsafe at home, in schools, on streets, and even in religious spaces, then the failure is not individual—it is civilizational.
When justice is invisible, it ceases to exist. When institutions fail, women are forced to defend themselves alone. The rising anger among women is not rebellion; it is survival.If rape is not treated as the gravest crime against humanity and society, then we must stop performing hollow pride in our culture. A civilization is not judged by its scriptures, but by how it protects its most vulnerable.
The time has come to move beyond symbolism and outrage, and toward accountability, reform,and moral courage. Anything less is collective hypocrisy.