Aditya Banerjee Week 9

Week 9

Aditya Banerjee

The article authored by Janet Haley, revolves around the concept of affirmative consent standard in sexual conduct and to be adopted in assault cases. Such has been adopted in Universities around California and New York and is in talks/discussions in many other parts. This policy goes on length towards improving sex culture and giving power, liberty and freedom to women to choose for themselves. Thus, putting them at par with men. The author goes on to argue that the campaign for affirmative consent requirements is distinctively rightist and would continue to be more conservative if it were not making political compromises to its left with male paternalist elites.

Secondly, I would compare the model of affirmative consent with that of the position of Consent standards in Indian Legal Jurisprudence. As per the Indian Law (Rape Laws in Indian Penal Code), it is taken that Consent should have been expressly said to have been not given i.e. No means No. Case laws have construed ambiguous/midway consents i.e. (where consent was not given but also not denied expressly) in favor of the accused. Taking cognizance of the present happenings, it is time that the concept of Affirmative Consent Standard (Yes means Yes and anything apart from Yes, including midway consents to be taken as Consent not given) be debated in Legislature and such position be inserted into the Indian Laws in order to improve the Indian society by freeing/reducing the committing of the said Heinous Crime.

Arshan Bakshi, Week 9

Baxi talks about the grave problem of sexual violence and its various forms faced by women in Delhi. She gives background on the circumstances under which these crimes take place and how the government fails to pay any heed to the prevailing lack of safety the city faces and how dangerous it still is for women to move around in the city with no safeguards at all; she says that the administration in a way acts as an enabler to sexual violence and rape culture in the city. It is very surprising to note the threshold at which the IPC places the crime of rape at, by calling it an 'offence against the human body' and not considering it at the same level as an act of violence; instead it is thought of as mere unconsented sexual relations, therefore putting the women at a position wherein they're thought of as objects and merely satisfy the lust of the perpetrator. Rape culture in India has evolved rapidly as a result of the presence of an outrightly blatant patriarchal society in which the entitled entity of men have prevailed in most offices of importance and positions of power, which has led to poor numbers in female representation and this is directly reflected in policy and law making. In the end it is the perpetrators who are making the laws for the victims. The only way to overcome and get past this rape culture at the very root level is for males and females to act in pursuance of the same goal that is a no tolerance policy towards even the smallest acts of sexual misconduct.

Paras Gupta, Week 9

Pratiksha Baxi in her article talks about rape culture in India and how this is the rape culture institutionalized. The initial passages list the social real factors that ladies face out in the open, from horrendous cases of assault in private transports to poor city arranging and wasteful specialists who police officers normally. She brings up that the good policing done by the police against the ladies as opposed to the men who propagate it as another case of the manners in which assault culture has been settled in inside our general public. Baxi further goes on to talk about how the world is not welcoming to women and how the judiciary is takes rape as just a mere offence and not takes a look at the social reality of it. 

National Politics sees rape as connected to assault culture in two different ways, one where it is apparently forestalled and raise the status of the attacker to that of the 'living dead'. Also, in the bigger setting of genuine wrongdoings, it has demonstrated that capital punishment has no noteworthy impediment impact. Throughout the entire existence of autonomous India, as Pratiksha Baxi brings up, perspective changes have consistently been at the substantial expense to ladies, regardless of whether it was the improvement plan that declined lewd behavior by presenting the work environment as another circle, or the circumstance in Kashmir with the AFSPA. People should be more considerate, more aware, intolerant about this rape culture to slowly get rid of the rape institution in the country.  

Akankshya Misra - Week 9

Rape Cultures in India
- Pratiksha Baxi

Pratiksha Baxi, in her article, Rape cultures in India begins by showing her disappointment towards lack of administration in preventing Sexual Violence. She talks about the nature rape and how rape is compared with sex. She also talks about the existence of victim blaming and how instead of focussing on the rapists the courts are more concerned with the character of the victim. She further mentions the humiliation that rape survivors undergo. The parliamentary talk on rape is utilized as a device for legislative issues and accordingly reaffirms assault culture. There is an enormous incongruity related with the ideological groups, especially the conservative, requesting harsher laws to rebuff the attackers without recognizing that they themselves have been liable for the arrangement and spread of assault culture in our general public. Rape is also used as a tool to put women in their place and not let them raise their voice when being wronged. Baxi needs us to stand firm against the government officials, planers and the authorities who centre around hushing the explicitly ambushed casualties as opposed to rebuffing the attackers. 

Aditya Verma, week 9

In her Article, Rape Cultures in India, Pratiksha Baxi, talks about the institutionalization of Rape Culture within the country. Written in the aftermath of a horrific rape case in a moving bus, she uses City Planning and poorly maintained infrastructure to as one such example. the lack of road safety, the streetlamps that do not work allow men to work in a 'Rape Schedule'. She also points out that the moral policing done by the police against the women rather than the men who perpetuate it as another example of the ways rape culture has been entrenched within our society.

            She writes that Rape is seen as sex, from the man’s perspective and not from the woman’s perspective. That it is seen as aberrant lust. Nationalist politics is seen as linked to rape culture in two ways, one where it is supposedly prevented and elevate the status of the rapist to that of the ‘living dead’. Second, where it is used to silence women, to prevent them from speaking out and humiliating them to ensure the status quo set by ‘heterosexist’ men. Women are seen as victims of a sport rather than that of a crime and mass sexual violence is ignored and cast aside as a ‘figment of the imagination’. People need to grow more intolerant of their polticians, policemen, judges and those who help the perpetuation of Rape Culture in this Country, so that one can chip away at it and slowly stop it.

Arnav Joshi Week 9

I shall be summarising Rape Cultures in India by Pratiksha Baxi. The author starts by saying that the administration while planning the construction of Delhi did not keep women's safety in mind. The city of Delhi comprises majorly of heterosexist men. There's isn't a proper system of surveillance in place for both private and public transport services. Even a lot of the city's streets fail to have basic lighting. The administration has never been held accountable for its lack of measures taken toward's women's safety as that isn't something they have every considered in their planning committees. The city's police target women's lifestyle and their clothes rather than te sexual offenders. The Judiciary interprets rape being a product of passion and lust and are kind of sympathetic towards the rapists. Almost every person in law enforcement, judiciary and politicians alike blame the victim themselves for the act of rape. The country's rape culture rises when these politicians normalise sexual violence. Baxi concludes the piece by voicing out the importance of a higher level of intolerance against any act on the spectrum of sexual violence against women and this stance is the one that desperately requires to be adapted in solidarity.         

Amal Sheheen week 9

Pratiksha Baxi, in her article, Rape Cultures in India, speaks out about the intolerable forms of sexual violence faced by women from all backgrounds in public spaces for decades in Delhi. She brings to light the lack of importance the government gives to women’s safety and how city planner’s act as enablers to the crime. Though the offense of rape has been placed in the penal code as ‘offence against human body’ it has not been considered as an act of violence. Instead, it has been interpreted as unconsented sexual relation, reducing it to the lust and deviance of the rapist and posits women as objects that fulfill this desire.

The parliamentary discourse on rape is used as a tool for politics and thus reaffirms rape culture. There is a massive irony associated with the political parties, particularly the right-wing, demanding harsher laws to punish the rapists without acknowledging that they themselves have been responsible for the formation and propagation of rape culture in our society. Being raped is seen to be a matter of shame for the survivor, rather than for the perpetrator. The name and face of the survivor is thrown around in the media, but the identity of the rapist is always protected. The only way to overcome the celebration of rape culture in India is as she concludes, by a heightened intolerance to sexual violence by men and women alike from all walks of life.

Vanshika Kundra- Week 9

RAPE CULTURES IN INDIA-PRATIKSHA BAXI

          Pratiksha Baxi writes this piece in the context of the Nirbhaya rape case, while whole of India was enraged and protesting. Baxi makes several striking points and observations, however the one that stands out to me the most is the way she talks about the nature of rape. She says that the politicians and legal officials treat rape a if it is sex- as if it is about lust and sexual deviancy; and instead of talking about the real evidence, courts are caught up with the character of the girl and till what time she stays out. However, Baxi correctly points out that rape is an act of political dominance; it is an act of sheer power. She talks about the humiliation and shame rape survivors have to go through to get justice. She also points out that by asking for a death sentence for rapists, not only are politicians equating rape survivors with dead bodies by treating rape the same as murder; but they are also aggravating the crime of rape as rapists are now murdering the victims. Baxi's article is an eye-opening piece which shows us the other side of things; even though the world is enraged about the horrific Nirbhaya case, politicans and most of the Indian public have accepted the fact that rape is a common act and will happen no matter what- instead of trying to implement safeguards for women. Baxi reminds us of Bhanwari Devi, whose case is still stuck at the Rajasthan HC but because of whom women have safeguards at work in the form of the Vishaka guidelines; Baxi reminds us of Manorma, whose gangrape showed the country the brutality of the army doing as they please because of the freedom granted under AFSPA and many others who have yet to get justice. Baxi successfully proves that India has a very dominant rape culture where certain forms of rape are considered a "sport" and men feed off of pornographic sexual violence. 

Aadya Gupta, Week 9

Rape Cultures in India: Pratiksha Baxi- Review 

Baxi begins by expressing her sorrow at the fact that prevention of sexual violence hasn’t been addressed in the planning and administration of the city of Delhi. The layout of the city is obstructed with narrow lanes and blockages, making it easy for any pursuer to trap a woman and assault her, or worse. The policemen are complicit in propagating sexist attitudes towards women, policing their clothes when they should be policing the men instead. Safety has become priceless, and it is unable to be guaranteed anywhere. The attitude of the local Delhi male citizens is supported by the Judiciary’s view- which constructs rape as sex. Central to this understanding is the valuation of women as objects. Sexual violence is so horrifying that after a while, ordinary citizens get desensitised to it- they dismiss it as an everyday occurrence- and this allows the men who rape to commit this crime with impunity- for they know society will protect them. The first instinct after all, is to ask about the victims character and loose morals. The death penalty for rape causes more problems than it cures, and this penalty has become a populist gesture that satiates the injustice felt by the masses. What I found interesting in the article is that it links fundamental Hindu nationalism and oppressing/violating of women’s bodies – for such links are only found after we comb society to find its underlying patterns. The judiciary’s irregularity in dealing with rape cases and rape victim’s inability to get justice further stigmatises them. Baxi calls for a public resistance to these policies that allow such a toxic culture to propagate- one that violates and profits off women’s bodies, for until we have a mass social movement and demand that the government take action, women will continue to suffer from systemic oppression.

Aarnav Tapan Deshpande- Week 9

Pratiksha Baxi in her piece “Rape Cultures in India” tries to highlight the political and judicial failure of India in having any form of concrete framework to address incidents of aggravated sexual assault, which in turn has led to a certain normalization of sexual offences in the country. She expresses her belief in the adoption of a stance of solidarity by men and women of the country, irrespective of their social or economic standing, whereby there exists a ‘heightened intolerance’ against any form of sexual violence, which can serve as a ‘social force’ in tackling, if not bringing down right away, the institutionalization of rape cultures in the country. Baxi talks about this institutionalization in where she discusses the aid rapists receive from the way cities are planned, without adequate measures for the prevention of sexual offences, or when she talks about the politicization of sexual violence, where most political actors convert these offences into techniques for party politics, instead of challenging the social, political and legal mechanisms of shaming, humiliating and boycotting rape survivors. 

Pranav D Week 9

Rape Culture by Pratiksha Baxi

In this piece, Pratiksha Baxi analyses sexual violence as a systemic reality as opposed to individual incidents. The opening paragraphs list the social realities that women face in public, from horrific instances of rape in private buses to poor city planning and inefficient authorities who police women regularly. Baxi argues that along with a host of other factors, these lay the foundation for a world that is not welcoming to women. The judiciary does not acknowledge the social realities of rape but simply views it as an offence of its own.

Politicians, who are supposed to be the representatives of the people, do not do much for the cause either. Instances of rape are either trivialised or analysed very superficially, and given partisan twists instead of reformed. Chests are beaten and the death penalty is sought, since rape is considered worse than death. But as Baxi points out, such a view is only dehumanising many who have survived it. The statistics indicate that the death penalty for rape would lead to more harms than benefits, since more victims are likely to get killed, and fewer cases will be reported when the rapist is known to the victim. Additionally, in the larger context of serious crimes, it has shown that the death penalty has no significant deterrent effect. In the history of independent India, as Pratiksha Baxi points out, paradigm shifts have always been at the heavy cost to women, whether it was the development agenda that worsened sexual harassment by introducing the workplace as another sphere, or the situation in Kashmir with the AFSPA. Tracing these important markers, she highlights the causes, attributes and parts of the rape culture in India.

Varalika Deswal, Week 9

            Rape Cultures in India –Pratiksha Baxi

The author’s opinion is that the city of Delhi belongs to heterosexist men and its administration enables sexual violence towards women by not keeping their safety in mind while constructing the city. There is no proper surveillance in any aspect of the city be it the transport services, public and private, or even its streets which fail to have basic lightings in them also. The administration is also never held accountable for its lack of measures taken towards women’s safety as that isn’t something they have ever considered in their planning committees. Even the city’s police targets women and their lifestyle rather than their attackers. Judiciary also helps rape being constructed as a product of passion and lust rather than an act of political violence against women. Social boycotting and political shaming of rape victims is also something that hasn’t gotten any relief from our politicians, they rather use this as a concept to gain political attention while also dismissing the issue of mass normalisation of sexual violence, giving rise to the country’s rape culture. Time and again, women’s voices are stolen, their autonomy suppressed and their safety compromised to the point where it barely exists; it is in fact the result of a society which not only tolerates rape but celebrates it by not showing any form of intolerance towards acts of sexual violence.

Mansi Upadhyay, Week 9

Rape cultures in India

-“We must then equally resist the politics, which institutes public amnesia about these voices of suffering.”

Baxi analyses how the rape culture in India is formed and fostered. She first looks into the planning and administration of the city, pointing out that the city has been planned in a way to give access to heterosexual men to rape. The streetlights don’t work, the pavements and hoardings obstruct the victim from escaping. Even the policing is of women’s bodies, clothes and character and not of men actions.

Moving objects like cars, buses, etc are seen as places to sexualise and exploit women’s bodies. The private buses used in porn propagate the very idea and the men consuming this are subtly reinforced with its sexualisation and hence turn it into a sport to be comfortable with.

After the 2013 Delhi gangrape, politicians asked, why was she out so late at night with a boy? Why didn’t the parents know? (careless parenting of women lead to such incidences!) Why do women wear revealing clothes if they don’t won’t to provoke men? Et al.

The right wing politicians demanded the hanging of the rapists either unaware or ignoring purposefully that their Hindu nationalism is built on subjugation of lower caste women. The rape was politicised for their benefit, not the benefit of women. The argument that rape is worse than death throws the survivors under the bus, as if it is them who should be ashamed of what happened to them. It also links the concept of honour to sex and not just rape, it is something to be protected until one is married.

The judiciary is no better, it doesn’t have any proper framework in place for aggravated sexual assaults. Rape for most part is sex because their concept of consensual sex has a normalised level of violence involved in it and only when that particular level of violence is breached it is to be constituted as rape. The marches only happen when its level is beyond our mere sensibilities!

Jayanti Srivastava - Week 9

Rape Cultures in India
- Pratiksha Baxi

Pratiksha Baxi, in her article, Rape Cultures in India, shines a light on the "rape culture" of our country. She speaks about how, despite countless campaigns and movements, women are made the target of the unfulfilled, animalistic lust of these heterosexist men, to whom the city belongs.
She says the city belongs to them, because the city planners have designed the city to be a perfectly unsafe place for women - with the broken streetlights, dark alleys - which have made it tenfold times easier to nab a woman from the street, lock her and assault her in a moving vehicle, which has, for some twisted reason, become an aesthetic for these people.
the judiciary, which exists to provide justice to these survivors, unfortunately views rape as sex, instead of an act of sexual violence. It is seen as an "act of aberrant lust, pathological sexual desire or isolated sexual deviancy."
Politicians have repeatedly used a rape as a political tool. Their concerns have, more often than not, been less than genuine. Rarely have they cared about the survivor as much as they have about their vote bank.
Instead of helping the survivor recover from the physical and mental trauma, the environment is made toxic for them. often, they are blamed for the rape. What they were wearing at the time, who they were with, where they were, what they were doing, and their character, are questions more important than "who were they? where are they now? what punishment are they being given?".
A rape is seen a matter of shame for the survivor, rather than for the perpetrator. the face of the survivor is thrown around in the media, but the face of the rapist is always protected.
Rape is also often seen as a tool to silence women. Since women are always supposed to be subdued, silent, and not have an opinion, any woman who defies this deserves to be raped, of course.
Why are these rapists left scot-free so often? Is a survivor's life really not worth it? The fact that these people have been getting away with their brutal acts for years is the reason why rape culture and sexual violence has come to be so celebrated in our country. They are the reason why a rapist is not scared before attacking a potential victim. They were let go for their acts, why won't he? 

Anurag Dash, Week 9

Rape Culture in India

Pratiksha Baxi

The article starts with the author bringing out the problem of women safety in the nation's capital, Delhi and how it is not seen as an issue for "governance that extinguishes the social, economic, and political rights of all women".Pratiksha Baxi discusses and highlights the on going issue of the normalisation of rape culture in India. She further discusses the reasons and factors in the society that often lead to women getting openly harassed in the streets. There are a lot of instances in which, after the women files a complaint against a person in the police station, rather than setting up a proper enquiry as per law, the victim is often burdened with questions. This victim blaming and asking all sorts of inappropriate questions to the victim results in mental torture and lose of faith in justice. The article goes on to criticise the right wing politicians and how the Hindu nationalism is built on violated bodies of women. The article talks about the importance of the role of judiciary and police and criticise the mindset of questioning the girls behaviour, dressing and taking the issue of rape seriously. The solution to this is for the citizens to come together in unity and develop the minds of people and create awareness regarding the issue. 

Sreedatri Dhar, Week 9

Week 9 

Rape Cultures in India – Pratiksha Baxi 

Pratiksha Baxi through her article “Rape Cultures in India” throws light on the heinous acts conducted on women who are being harassed and raped by men openly on streets and other public places however, the government is not taking any actions about these grievous acts. She expresses concern about how the issue of sexual violence and rape is taken not taken seriously as it is supposed to. It is not featured in the planning and administration of a city; it is not taken as a major issue for the government. She accuses the city planners as one of the reasons as to why women are raped in our cities due to the absence of streetlights and other amenities. She wants the officials to take charge on policing men rather than pointing fingers at women’s clothing, movement and behavior. The judiciary’s construction of rape as sex has led to the rapists think of rape as not a political violence which has posed a grave threat to the women of our society. Pratiksha Baxi wants the society to stand together in solidarity and help reconstructing our society to a better and a safer place to live in. She wants us to take a stand against the politicians, planers and the officials who focus on silencing the sexually assaulted victims rather than punishing the rapists.  She believes that only a critical step against sexual violence will help in chipping away the monumentalisation of rape culture in India. 

Anusha Sinha Week 9

Rape Cultures in India - Pratiksha Baxi

Pratiksha Baxi reflects upon the rape culture in India and how women are getting harassed and raped openly on the streets but still there is no action being taken against it. She talks about various elements of the society which actually enable the existence of such a culture. It is the duty of the police to protect the citizens, however instead of policing the offenders their techniques of surveillance are often focused on women’s behaviour, movement, and clothing. She even reflects upon the role of judiciary to bring justice, constructs rape as sex. With numerous Campaigns aimed at introducing laws for the safety of women, prevention of sexual violence is not something, which features in the planning and administration of the city. Rather most political actors use it as a stage to demonstrate party politics than actually striving to bring a change. There is a massive irony associated with the political parties, particularly the right wing, demanding harsher laws to punish the rapists without acknowledging that they themselves have been responsible for the formation and propagation of rape culture in our society. The author has rightly stated that "The city belongs to heterosexist men after all."

Moulya Subbaramaiah Week 9

Rape Cultures in India

Pratiksha Baxi

Pratiksha Baxi aptly elucidates upon the rape culture in India. She talks about how rape is increasingly being used as an apparatus to assert power over the meek and powerless in India. She calls out our city planners whose shortcomings allows for our neighbourhood to become conducive for a rape schedule, the judiciary for construing rape as sex (excluding the exceptions) which inevitably categorises rape as act of aberrant lust rather than the reality of it being a form of political violence and lastly the political parties (specially the right wing) who turn this atrocity into a resource for doing politics by shifting focus to the debate about capital punishment. Its ironical that political parties demanding for stricter laws for offences of rape are the very same parties whose attitudes and actions have been responsible for the establishment of rape culture in our society. What is worse is the fact that the scope of the debate on rape is centred on the female body, and invasive strategies of protecting it. Baxi highly concludes her piece by voicing out the importance of a higher level of intolerance against any act on the spectrum of sexual violence against women and this stance is one that desperately requires to be adopted in solidarity.

Aastha Gupta(838)- week 9

RAPE CULTURES IN INDIA- PRATIKSHA BAXI

The writer talks about what are the reasons that rape culture is so accepted in India and actually in a way propagated. She says it’s a ‘public secret’ that women are harassed and targeted in the streets. In her article she has focused on how it’s the fault of the politicians, judiciary and the city planners that the rapists do not fear doing these crimes. In Mathura rape case, the accused were not convicted on the grounds that the girl’s character was questionable since she was running away with her boyfriend and was not a virgin so she could have sex with anybody. The guidelines set in Vishaka case were faulty as well, as we read in Sexcapades by Ratna Kapoor. 

The judiciary does not see rape as a political violence, it’s seen more like sex, someone’s uncontrollable lust, a pathological problem. A girl’s whole life is ruined, her mental health is ruined, and all that politicians do is politics even on a case such as rape. Police officials before registering a case tries to deter the girl from filing one by saying things like you will have to come to court and give the whole account of what happened to you in front of everyone. Everyone around a girl tries to stop them from raising their voices since families want to do face saving and because girls in our society are seen as ‘ghar ka maan’. They don’t want to give girls the power to take matters into their hands since the city belongs to heterosexist men. High class women still have a chance of getting justice; Dalit women do not even have that.
The convicts of Nirbhaya Rape case were hanged in 2020, after 8 years when she is no more. Justice delayed. Every small action promotes rape culture in India.

Priya Gala, Week 9

IT WASN’T REALLY REALLY A RAPE: EXPLORING SEXUALITY IN A NEW AGE CAMPUS – Dr. Dalwai & Adv. Marysha

 This is a dialogue between two feminists from different generations about how the turf has changed from being protectionist to liberty oriented. However, the battle against patriarchy and power still continues. In these dialogues, the authors talk about the Jindal rape case and how men from influential backgrounds and power usually manage to get themselves rid of any accusations. Furthermore, it is also important to note how despite knowing what criminals had done, they were welcomed in their homes as if they had done nothing wrong and the survivor had to relocate, delete her social media accounts and act like she never existed.

This dialogue also covered many other discussions amongst which one was about how freedom and trust which parents give their daughter needs to be treated as a debt and paid back with gratitude without having misused it. Woman’s bodies are thus not treated as their own since they are not accessible to them and are only limited to the family’s reputation. In addition, the discussion also highlighted the importance of social media in contemporary times especially for movements which were once located on streets.

Ritika Sharma Week 8

Sexcapades and the Law - Ratna Kapoor

It isn't at all plainly obvious that the reaction to inappropriate behavior ought to be a legitimate one. Law depends on built up sexual standards and qualities which are selective and have not end up being all engaging for ladies. Simultaneously, inappropriate behavior law is turning into a reality. I would contend that the law can be troublesome of predominant sexual standards whenever utilized as a political apparatus as opposed to as an answer for the issue of lewd behavior, which I have contended the law is unequipped for giving. For instance, inappropriate behavior protests of sexual minorities could be a particular political and legitimate venture. The badgering of sex laborers in the city, or gays and lesbians by bosses could be a piece of the inappropriate behavior venture. The motivation behind such a procedure is expose the predominant sexual and moderate standards that are fused into law just as into the open mind. It may likewise uncover the favored area of lewd behavior, that is, as a device accessible to hetero, virtuous, ladies whose conduct complies with predominant sexual standards and conduct that has been lawfully and socially recommended for women.If we will neglect to sufficiently address the sexual damages ladies keep on encountering. Sexual damages have never been annihilated through guideline of sexual direct, gagging sexual discourse, or good reconnaissance of ladies' lives. Such procedures have just sustained sexual sound system types, sexual universality, and settled on ladies' key rights.

Durlabh Agrawal, Week 8

Sexcapade: Law and the Workplace

Law plays a salient feature in the structurizing the society from home to workplace, law has been a crucial tool seeks to create a transparent and safe environment, but when the it comes to the liberty and safety of women, lawmakers burdened with the task creates an ambiguous, liberal and discriminatory policies without taking into account the golden triangle of the constitution.

Ratna Kapur in her article Sexcapades and the Law discusses about sexual harassment, a gordian knot for women at workplace. According to Kapur, legal development in patronizing women at workplace started in the US with sex discrimination and intersectionality at play. Gradually, with awareness and legal development women of colour and race made their entrance and became a part of the workforce.     

In India, Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan is a symbolic step towards the validation of the problem of sexual harassment at workplace. The judgment lays down guidelines to be followed for sexual misconduct and harassment at workplace, according to which, the criterion for guidelines to be enforceable are unwelcoming sexual conduct against a female employee and it must disadvantage a woman. The ingredient prima facie sounds fair but is limited to employer-employee relationship. 

Capitalistic definition of labour can be termed as a social relation of voluntary and paid labour. A quid pro quo situation where services are provided in exchange for monetary support. Now this definition, when clubbed with a male egoistic, dominated and closed mentality, it would bolster the patriarchal sexual norms and preserving the orthodox sense of sexual morality in workplace, which has been a major a reason for cases of harassment at workplaces as they see women not a worker but a sexual commodity for their benefit. 

Conducts at workplace affirms Kapur's central argument of elaborating the legal definition  of sexual harassment and reform the law and policy. It would be necessary to take a radical and affirmative action towards the holistic environment sprouted in the workplace. 

Aadya Gupta, Week 8

Harvey Weinstein Is My Monster Too.’- Salma Hayek

About 2-3 years ago, I had the pleasure of watching Salma Hayek perform in the movie “Frida’. I quite enjoyed the movie, and reading Salma Hayek’s moving account of her experience gave me chills for the audience has truly no idea what goes on behind the scenes. The article talks about how taboo the idea of sexual harassment is even now, and how women are forced to keep mum about their experience for many years out of shame, like it is somehow their fault. Women are made to feel like their sexuality is the only thing of value, especially in the film industry, where appearances matter immensely. Harvey’s methods have been echoed by men in power the world over, where they use this power to belittle and sexually harass women. The troubling thought that enters the mind is the kind of environment that Harvey Weinstein would have grown up in, which convinced him that this sort of treatment is acceptable, and when those demands are denied, they are met with uncontrollable rage at the refusal. Since most film directors in the US are men, they are in positions of power and influence where they can coerce actresses to perform sexual favours and jump through multiple hoops in exchange for acting contracts. The demands Harvey made on Salma stemmed from an understanding that since she refused to be sexually available for him, she had to ‘make up’ for that denial through rewriting the script, finding A-list actors, and like her, other women are even fired from their jobs for having the courage to speak up.The trauma that these experiences leave women with is left unaddressed and stays with these women for a lifetime. Were this imbalance to be corrected, the number of women to be harassed would significantly go down. Salma Hayek was spared, because, as she says, she had influential friends. Men target women who are systematically disadvantaged the most, for they have no one to help them. They prey on the weakest. The #MeToo movement empowered scores of women round the world with the courage to come forward and tell their stories, and such waves are important for they signal to the world that these power imbalances need to change. For each person who disregards the importance of the #MeToo movement, there is another who is understands that they are not alone in being not victims, but survivors of these horrifying experiences.

Rahul Desarda: Week 8

Sexcapades and the Law

Author Ratna Kapur, in her piece “Sexcapades and the Law” talks about issues surrounding sexual harassment. She argues that in today’s time, women sexual expression is curtailed and is a serious concern for the society as a whole.

One of her central arguments is that the way sexual harassment is defined in terms of law and policy has to questioned and needs reform. Her reasoning behind this is that the current definition bolsters existing patriarchal sexual norms, preserving an orthodox sexual morality, thus taking away from women any room for sexual expressions.  Under the prevalent system, the legal system is sympathetic towards a woman only if her behaviour is consistent with the prevailing conservative norms. 

Further, the author tells her readers that although we have in our legal books, the mention of sexual wrongs/crimes, we don’t have the concept of sexual rights which is essential for a just society. Some believe that the idea of discussing sex openly is contradictory to the culture and heritage of India. However, such views are ahistorical as a sound reading of ancient history would reveal that it is actually the opposite. In ancient India, rather than considering it as a taboo, sex was celebrated in various ways. 

Abhijeet Shrivastava, Week 8

Zoe Greenberg, “What Happens to #MeToo When a Feminist Is the Accused?”

Avital Ronell, a world-renowned female professor at New York University, also called one of the few “philosopher-stars of this world by a colleague, was found responsible for having sexually harassed a male student, Nimrod Reitman. This was confirmed by the “Title IX Final Report” containing evidence of this harassment spanning three years, including e-mails with appalling language.

Safe to say: the global response by feminists when “one of their own behaved badly” is disconcerting, to say the least, in that it highlights certain prejudices within #MeToo itself – or at least a considerable part of the proponents of the movement.

Upon her suspension, fellow students and Professors wrote in defence of Professor Ronell, noting the “dignity rightly deserved by someone of her international standing and reputation”. Ronell, in fact, wrote to NYU, denying any harassment, and complicating the situation further by claiming that her advances were reciprocated by Mr Reitman, shielding her criminality by highlighting that she was a lesbian and Reitman a gay man to hint that she had no “motive”.

To this day, no definitive finding on his complaint has been issued. Moreover, many students continue to believe that this is an attempt to pervert the essence of feminism as if stabbing it in the back by slandering one of its authorities. This incident highlights that even within #MeToo, privilege and social capital continue to thrive, not only preserving but also reinforcing injustice in different forms. #MeToo was meant to usher an era where one’s repute and standing does not presuppose absolute innocence, that there ought to be a balance between the presumption of innocence for an alleged harasser and the presumption of belief in survivors’ words.

To suggest that feminism, at least in such an incomplete form,  can in such situations become a part of pre-fixed beliefs that disallow accountability, due process and justice in cases where the “roles are reversed from the norm” is no exaggeration. It is, in fact, a conversation needed to be had, to keep the credibility and values of #MeToo alive. 

Yashasvee Kumar week 8

The #MeToo Moment: Navigating Sex in the ‘Gray Zone’

By Jessica bennet / New York times

A bad Sexual encounter? Or sexual harassment? Jessica projects light on an issue that is roaring. An area which is subjective and undetermined to human nature. She explains what this “grey zone” is under the ambit of MeToo movement. She states how a particular kind of sexual encounter can be viewed as sexual harassment signalling towards The Aziz Ansari’s story. A story where a woman goes out to dinner with a comedian and ends up in his apartment where she was suggested to “chill out on the couch” where Aziz sat and pointed towards his penis and mentioned her to go down on him all the while, as uncomfortable as it gets, the women didn’t know how to get out of the situation and left crying all the while where Aziz was enjoying his thoughts about consensual sexual pleasure.

This grey area is something that is persisting and impending. It’s overwhelming as well as confusing and there is no sure short answer to this dilemma neither there will be. Even unity cannot provide justice to a victim, male or female. Let’s say there is a harassment case on a corporate firm’s CEO, and the employees decide to leave the company still it wouldn’t render the company or the man who harassed in utter loss of respect, money or any other wise. A grey area always stays a grey area but it would fulfill the soul of everyvictims if they are simply understood and heard.

Shivjeet P. Week 8

Salma Hayek's piece on Harvey Weinstein is a very thought-provoking article that makes one really look inwards about who we really interact with in society. Hayek describes the way she seems to have repressed many details of the abuse she's encountered at Weinstein's hands, while narrating her experience to others, and how now, at the height of the Me Too movement, she feels at ease: no longer reeling under the shame she once felt when she buried all of those emotions.

What this tells us, especially in the context of the movement and the narrative that a woman is scrupulous and intent on ruining the character of a man by making allegations against him, much after the alleged assault, is that women feel ruined, ashamed, and vulnerable. Their rights, liberty and dignity are stripped away, being made to feel like a man's puppet  made to dance to his tune.Many we interact with believe that the MeToo is just a smear campaign being conducted. It is at such junctures, that we must remember why they choose to remain silent, and why they choose to come out with the stories of their assault. It is not out of some ulterior motive they have, to smear the reputation of others, but a statement that they have been wronged, and that by remaining silent, the accused would not be held accountable and would likely continue to behave in this manner.

It also tells us about how we tend to glorify abusers. Weinstein seemed to be just another famous film producer, who's fame and connections seemed to draw Salma towards his company in an attempt to advance her career. However, we begin to see how the layers to Weinstein's true character begin to slowly peel away. We seem to glorify horrible people, and because of such glorification and conditioning believe that they can do no wrong. It is imperative, now more than ever, that we begin to believe women, and look at the people around us, people who we believe can do no wrong, little differently. 

Akshara Singh, Week-8.

The MeToo movement was started by sexual harassment survivor and social activist Tarana Burke in 2006. The hashtag trended on social media and became a worldwide phenomenon with millions of women coming out with their stories of harassment and rape. Raya Sarkar’s List of Sexual Harassers consists of men who have been accused of harassment, quite a few of them never even convicted for their heinous crimes. Although the list had some strong results which made a lot of men lose their jobs, a lot of allegations were simply turned down just because there was no evidence or an official complaint filed against the offender. In such cases, it was observed that the offender belonged to a very high status family or was very influential. Sarkar’s list consisted of many men who were accused of committing serious sexual offences and who belonged to esteemed education institutions. However, most of these universities refused to even acknowledge these claims, let alone speak about it or look into the matter thoroughly. The allegations were simply put aside and no action whatsoever was taken against the person accused. This shows how much power men hold in such workplaces. It lets them get away with even the gravest of crimes and they walk away free while the victim lives every single day of her life in pain and anger. 

Anurag Dash, Week 8

Gender has played a crucial role in determining a person’s position in institutions no matter what their by-laws dictate. Just like Salma Hayek, Women are constantly subjected to sexual harassment, discrimination and an uncomfortable work environment in the workplace. This often leads to inefficiency too resulting in women making progress in the careers. Undoubtedly, the reason and the root cause for such unfair practices is the fact that we live in a patriarchal society giving the power in the hands of men. Although the #MeToo Movement is a good initiative to make the public well aware of these social misconduct happening in the society, this might not be the only solution to it. Rather than treating it as just a story of a women, one needs to realise that harassment of any kind is a crime and justice must prevail in all situations. Further, many women might not be comfortable with coming out and sharing their experiences given its impact on both mental and physical health. Even though there has been multiple laws made and legislation passed in the country regarding women safety, rape and sexual harassment has been growing at a significant rate and is one of the leading social issues faced currently.

Aastha Gupta 18010026 Week 8

Sexcapades and the Law

the author wrote of the article set forth her interests about inappropriate behavior of ladies and the back to back the job of the State mediations just as lawful advancements to control it and its ineffectual nature. She does as such by alluding to a milestone judgment of Vishaka v. Territory of Rajasthan which holds an extraordinary centrality in a nation like India where inappropriate behavior of ladies at working environments was perceived as an issue as well as unwelcomed. the motivation behind "Me Too", is to engage ladies through sympathy and solidarity through quality in numbers, particularly youthful and powerless ladies, by obviously showing what number of ladies have endured rape and provocation, particularly in their own homes and working environment. Notwithstanding, For this situation, the denounced is women's activist researcher Avital Ronell, and the individual detailing provocation is a male previous alumni understudy, Nimrod Reitman. The denounced says that when he complained to Ronell about her badgering, she fought back by disrupting his activity possibilities. Graduate understudies can be particularly helpless against badgering by their consultants, who regularly use tremendous authority over the bearing of their professions. Survivors' declaration as a major aspect of #MeToo has uncovered the manners in which that harassers misuse their capacity, exploiting circumstances in which their casualties can't report because of a paranoid fear of harm to their vocationsShe additionally alludes to other women's activist researchers like Katherine MacKinnon in her article. Inappropriate behavior isn't only a social issue limited to on faction, society, or nation, rather it's a pandemic over the world which has become a reality for many ladies. Inappropriate behavior isn't about sex however it is about force and how someone, when sexually irritate differently, removes that power. In any case, to get hold of that power once more, the voices of many, which have been quieted over every one of these years by the methods for foundation and the relics of the past, should be spoken.

Navami Week 8

Week 8

The important to realize about the role of gender in institutions is that it is a continuous re-occurring event. Gender has always been a big part about institutions – it decides where a woman or man’s position lies, the women more than the man. The important detail lies in how we have always been a patriarchal society, thereby giving the upper hand to men. The casting couch problem persists for a long time. It has resulted in several women changing careers, or just giving in to the situation due to fear or due to the lack of capital to start elsewhere. Salma Hayek might just be one of the several women who went through this problem. Furthermore, there are many who didn’t speak up or will never speak up. The #MeToo movement is not of much significance according to me simply because I feel that having a movement for a situation for sexual assault is not the way the grave situation is supposed to receive any attention. It is a crime and has to be treated such as that. Women have to be provided the safety when they come out of their closets, to tell the truth about what happened to them but there should not be any insulation for women who do it on purpose. 

Rukman Banka, Week 8

Sexcapades and the Law

The author of the article put forth her concerns about sexual harassment of women and the consecutive role of the State interventions as well as legal developments to curb it and its ineffective nature. She does so by referring to a landmark judgment of Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan which holds a great significance in a country like India where sexual harassment of women at workplaces were not only recognised as an issue but was also unwelcomed. She also refers to other feminist scholars like Katherine MacKinnon in her article. Sexual harassment is not just a social issue confined to on sect, society or country, rather it’s an epidemic across the world which has become a reality for millions of women. Sexual harassment is not about sex but it is about power and how somebody when sexual harasses the other takes away that power. But to get hold of that power again, the voices of many, which has been silenced over all these years by the ways of establishment and the relics of the past, needs to be voiced out.

Akshat Meharia, Week 8

As portrayed in the article S"and the law" by Ratna Kapoor, there is a huge amount of torture and discrimination women have to face in workplaces, even today, because of the sexual harrasment that takes place against woken. It not only makes the woken unsafe, byt it affects their efficiency of work fur to deterrence of being a victim to the sexual harrasment. As the writer correctky observes, improvements came when the court passed it's judgement in the case of Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan, in whivh the ciurt laid many guidelines as to how it is the duty of the employer to take adequate steps to prevent sexyal harrasment in workplace, and reasonable penalty should be charged by the offender, and pubished in a feasible manner. Women shoukd not be faving discrimination of any kind for getting a job or a promotion. Before the judgement the scope of sexual harrasment was broad in such a way and the defination is so vague, that the law is being used to reinforce the sexual conduct on the boundaries of traditional sexual behaviour without necessarily remedying woman's case of sexual harrasment. The writer is not arguing against sexual harrasment, it is considered a serious problem affecting the women working furiously across the social spectrum, and this Vishaka judgement marks an important frlorst step towards improvement of the conditions of women in the work places, with reduces risks of sexual harrasment.

Vanshika Kundra- Week 8

Ratna Kapur in her “Sexcapades and the law” takes a close look at sexual harassment in India and the law and policy surrounding it. Her main argument here is that the sexual harassment law and policy in our country is taking away womens sexual liberty and equality and is instead morally policing and victimizing them. She also provides alternatives to the current law which are effective and beneficial to women. Kapur starts by expanding upon the landmark Vishaka judgement as it was a stepping stone in the road to curbing sexual violence against women. The judgement gives a precise definition of what sexual harassment at the workplace entails and directs employers to take active action to curb sexual harassment at the workplace. She further highlights that this judgement takes cognizance of the fact that people with more power intimidate women at a lower standing and take advantage of them, showing that women do face rampant harassment at work. However, she feels that the guidelines put forth by the Supreme Court enforce conservatism and a sense of hindu puritanism on women. She says that the Indian legal system has taken direct inspiration from the US sexual harassment law, however has failed to take into account the intersectionalities in the form of harassment Indian women face. “The initiatives taken to enforce the Indian Supreme Court’s definition of sexual harassment are producing a conservative, static politics, as informed by and interpreted within a sexually conservative environment, a protectionist response to women’s rights claims, and a response to sexual behaviour based on 19th century attitudes towards the regulation of sexuality.” Furthermore, the most striking critique which Kapur puts forward is on the requirement on the complainants part to prove that the sexual conduct was unwelcome. To prove this, the court would judge the complainants lifestyle and conduct, imposing their value judgements based on twisted ideas of morality and purity to determine how credible her statement is. “A rape victim’s dress, speech, sexual history, chastity have all been deployed to undermine her claim that she was forced to have sexual intercourse against her will or without her consent. Her conduct invited sex. She asked for it.” Another interesting aspect of this piece was how the author pointed out that “outraging a woman's modesty” a phrase which still exists in the IPC, enforces a victorian/ colonial form of chastity on the modern Indian woman. She offers several strategies such as promoting equal sexual rights from a young age, awareness and unbiased and modern legal assistance to all minorities. 

Mansi Upadhyay, Week 8

Jayanti Srivastava - Week 8

Week 8 - Gender at Workplaces & Educational Institutions 

The discussion for this week of the course manual was Gender at workplaces and educational institutions. Though we all like to believe that we study/work at very liberal places that do not see much sexual harassment, or have the proper mechanism to deal with the same, if a case comes up, it is sad that this fact is not entirely true. Even today, many women face sexual harassment at their place of work, or study. Be it serious cases, or mild, it is a problem that exists very prominently. However, what is even sadder that even though it is the 21st century where everyone claims to be more aware of things, more supportive, more "feminist", when it comes down to it, people show their true colours.
Sexual harassers who happen to be at high positions, academically, politically, socially, financially, or in the business, often get away scot-free for their actions. In colleges, administration is often wary of looking into the cases of sexual harassment by these people in a high position, such as professors, or the children of highly influential people, since they are more concerned about the consequences, the backlash, and the reputation of the institution, than getting justice for the survivor. The same has been illustrated in Huffington's post "#MeToo in India: 75 Professors, 30 Institutes, What Happened to Raya Sarkar's List of Sexual Harassers?". In her list, Raya Sarkar had named sexual harassers from esteemed educational institutes. However, most of these colleges refused to even acknowledge these allegations, and did not look into them since there were no "official" complaints made against these people. But, despite some official complaints, most of these harassers still do not face any repercussions. The lack of results after following due diligence, is the reason the #MeToo movement was started by Tarana Burke. The power that these people hold lets them get away, despite the official complaints. It is much easier to shush the survivors. This is also the reason why most of the sexual harassment cases are not reported in the first place. For these survivors to get justice, the first step is to not let power destroy the path to justice. 

Khush Aalam Singh - Week 8

'What Happens to #MeToo when a Feminist is Accused?' - Zoe Greenberg

This article poses several questions about intrinsic inconsistencies in the #MeToo movement, which is undoubtedly a crucial social movement in our time. Our typical understanding of sexual harassment and assault involves a male exerting his privilege and power over a woman. Yet, this understanding is reversed in this case, where Professor Avital Ronell is found guilty of harassing a former graduate student, who was a male (Nimrod Reitman)

The dynamics at play in this instance are complex, yet crucial for understanding the depth of the scandal that ensued. Both Professor Ronell and Mr. Reitman identify as part of the LGBTQI+ community and share an Israeli heritage. But Professor Ronell holds the privilege of being a powerful academic, possessing a standing that is respected at the international level. This reflects the power that she possesses over a student seeking to work  under her guidance. Furthermore, Professor Ronell was backed by renowned feminists such as Judith Butler, who wrote to NYU in support of the former.

An important angle to this story becomes the response to the allegations of sexual misconduct: reference to 'international standing' and testimonies by close friends as to her conduct with students seems similar to a male defense. This involves vouching for the character as well as the respectability enjoyed by a person within an industry. It then extends to questioning the survivor's intelligence, their response as well as the delay in speaking up. The fact that this comes from established feminists seeks to de-legitimize the movement at large. There is no question as to the success of the movement in terms of lending mutual courage in order to speak up against sexual violence and misconduct. However, renowned persons who have considerable influence and following vis-a-vis the movement do not recognize their privilege and standing, when faced with such a situation. They chose to defend a colleague instead of stand in solidarity with a survivor.

Professor Ronell is returning this year to teach a course at NYU. She has since been granted a fellowship residency in Monaco and is a visiting fellow at Harvard. The allegation and her resultant suspension has not affected her employment opportunities as well as standing, as can be clearly seen.

The larger movement is now faced with serious dilemmas. Is a person defined by their misconduct and blatant disregard for the person they hurt? To what extent does privilege and positionality influence a person's culpability and the operation of due process? What is the response to an instance of misconduct on part of a self-acclaimed feminist? Whether there ought to be boundaries on relationships between academics and students?

These are uncomfortable questions that we must grapple with. And while we must hold those ignorant of the consequences of their actions responsible, we must make progress towards understanding our diversity and struggles.

Anusha Sinha Week 8

Me Too is a movement, not a moment

Tarana Burke, the creator of the #MeToo movement, shares her feeling of numbness even after a year of her movement becoming a viral hashtag and the world discovering her decade old campaign to support survivors of sexual abuse. “Numbness is not always the absence of feeling,” she clarifies, “Sometimes it’s an accumulation of feelings.”  With progressive ideals being trampled while powerful people are protected, she talks about her feeling of fatigue setting in. The source of it being from living through the same experiences, “soldiering through the Supreme Court nomination process and attacks from the White House, gross mischaracterizations, internet trolls and the rallies and marches and heart-wrenching testimonies,”. Burke then revisits some of the basics of the movement, reminding the audience that it’s built on empathy for survivors, not attacks on men. She wants us to re-imagine power and privilege, and rethink the way we live with trauma. By having elicited a sense of solidarity and authentic dedication to the cause- “to re-educate ourselves to understand that, unequivocally, every human being has the right to walk through this life with their full humanity intact”—shares a tale about her family which is deeply affecting, and ultimately energizing.

Anvita Datla week 8

What Happens to #MeToo When a Feminist is the Accused talks about the case where the tables turned, wherein a female professor harassed a male student of hers pointing out to the significance of considering how harassment takes place not only against women but men as well. The article is about the gross violation and sexual harassment faced by a student named Reitman by his professor Avita Ronell who is supposedly a ‘renowned professor’. Reitman’s claims were dismissed by feminists who put a cloak on the allegation by stating Ronell’s achievements and how she was incapable of doing such an act. 

The article talks about the aspect of dominance and power dynamics and how victims of sexual harassment in an academic sphere like in the present case don’t speak up against such harassment due to the power a professor has over a student.  It talks further about how Nimrod Reitman never got to speak about what he was going through due to the power Avita Ronell had over him and due to how she blackmailed him. 

The spirit of the me too movement is to speak up against perpetrators of sexual abuse irrespective of how powerful or highly placed those perpetrators are. The movement aims to call out rape culture and raise awareness about the disturbing prevalence of sexual assault within our society

The article highlights the underlining issue of gender bias faced by men with the example of Reitman in the present article. Though the #MeToo movement started as a means for women to have a voice against the sexual abuse faced by them in various spheres especially workplace however this does not mean that the claims of a man can be excluded or neglected. Men can be victims too. It is important to rise from the narrow mindsets and age old stereotypes that only women can face harassment and to keep an open mind. Men should be encouraged to speak up against harassment faced by them too. The movement is to empower the lesser privileged and the aspect of gender shouldn’t be allowed to take away the essence of what the movement stands for.

Priya Gala, Week 8

Me Too is a Movement, not a moment – Tarana Burke

     In this talk, Tarana Burke talks about the hard truth that she is faced with. This hard truth is that she is numb. Numb usually means a void or the inability to feel. However, according to her, numbness also comes from accumulations of feelings. She feels numb because predators of sexual violence are still in power and she has everything to tell the survivors but nothing to give them. The MeToo movement had begun a decade ago with survivors and their healing at its forefront. However, the media with distorted facts always manages to gather enough backlash for the movement and the movement that aimed at survivor’s wellbeing is now being talked about as if it were a vindictive plot against men. Ergo, she does not recognize the contemporary MeToo movement because this is not what had begun a decade ago.

     The collective trauma experienced by everyone across the globe is the first step towards building a world free of sexual violence which makes MeToo not a moment but a Movement. It is extremely important for us to recognize that power brings privilege and renders others without it vulnerable. But power and privilege do not need to be about destroying it can also be used to heal and create. Possibility is extremely important; it is a wonderful gift. The ones before us believed that it was possible and while they might have not achieved what they wanted it fueled their vision. While we might be tired, numb, and exhausted we must not let it stop us. We must keep fighting for the world that our future generations deserve; a world free of sexual violence.

Lopamudra, Week 8

What Happens to #MeToo When a Feminist Is the Accused?

The Me Too (or #MeToo) movement, with variations of related local or international names, is a movement against sexual assault and harassment of women. Similar to other social justice and empowerment movements based upon breaking silence, the purpose of "Me Too", is to empower women through empathy and solidarity through strength in numbers, especially young and vulnerable women, by visibly demonstrating how many women have survived sexual assault and harassment, especially in their own houses and workplace. However, In this case, the accused is feminist scholar Avital Ronell, and the person reporting harassment is a male former graduate student, Nimrod Reitman. The accused says that when he did complain to Ronell about her harassment, she retaliated by sabotaging his job prospects.  Graduate students can be especially vulnerable to harassment by their advisers, who often wield enormous control over the direction of their careers. Survivors’ testimony as part of #MeToo has exposed the ways that harassers abuse their power, taking advantage of situations in which their victims can’t report for fear of damage to their careers. When such cases are amplified by social media forums that reach a wide audience of diverse faculty members, potentially vulnerable students, and attendant administrative stake holders, then the faculty have an ethical responsibility, not just a perfunctory legal one, to expose and report such offenders in order to eradicate systemic inequity. And while the #MeToo movement needs to take on gender inequality, it also needs to acknowledge that in the world’s precarious and hierarchical work culture, employees often have few options if their superiors mistreat them - and this can make anyone who needs a pay check vulnerable to harassment, regardless of gender.

Aarushi Annapragada Week 8

In ‘Sexcapades and the law’, Ratna Kapur discusses sexual harassment, and whether the current practice of compartmentalizing sexual conduct and expression is the way to solve the problem, as it does not empower women.

She says that the definition of sexual harassment in law and policy is very problematic as it  reinforces dominant sexual norms, perpetuates a conservative sexual morality, and denies women a space for sexual expression. If a woman’s sexual conduct is in line with the norm, only then will the law benefit her, otherwise her narrative of victimisation can be converted to one of invitation or provocation.

Kapur goes on to explain how unlike sexual wrongs, sexual rights have not been read into the law. There is a perception that sex is a threat to Indian culture and value systems. The root of this idea originates in the 19^th century, when the British had occupied India. The purity of Indian culture was actually believed to be something that made it superior to the culture of the Empire. Against the backdrop of Hindutva politics in India at present, there is a risk of sexual harassment laws being used for censorship of sexual expression.

She suggests a mix of legal and non-legal approaches to rectify this issue such as making sure that policies are not formulated while conforming to dominant norms and that sexual rights are promoted.

Saher Husain Week 8.

#MeToo In India by Piyasree Dasgupta is about how through Raya Sarkar’s list of sexual harassers in academia (LoSHA), people who were sexually harassed by the faculty of various institutions, were able to speak up in solidarity against their assaulters which then created a spur not only in the Indian media, but also the foreign media. Because of the list, people were able to overcome their fear and reach out, sharing and letting out what they had just kept inside. The writer explains that while the institutions were approached to look into the matter, many did not even respond to such allegations and out of which only some individuals were held to be guilty because of the backlash that could be faced to the institution altogether. Raya Sarkar through such motion also hinted on the factor of lack of due process of law, denying the list as just a ‘witch hunt’ thereby opposing the various claims of false allegations.  

It is important to understand how the #Metoo movement has been able to encourage a sort of development against the trauma that has been faced by so many individuals because of sexual harassment thereby leading to a loss of various opportunities in different institutions all over the world because of the power and privilege relations and thus confirm that there is a way forward.

Also as Tarana Burke mentions in her TED talk, ‘Me Too is a movement not a moment’, that the movement creates a possibility which then actively builds a better world for the future to come wherein the trauma or numbness that has been felt by so many individuals can be shared and this can then help in creating solidarity and an empathetic environment thereby restoring humanity. The way forward, as Tarana suggests, is re-education and as trauma stops possibility, such movements give hope and create possibilities.  

Submitted by- Saher Husain (18010673) 

Surya Sushil Sarwan Week 8

#MeToo is a Movement, not a Moment

Ted talk by Tarana Burke

Tarana Burke, the creator of the #MeToo movement, is feeling, in her words, numb. But Burke explains that having worried about what to bring to TED, when she kept “falling short of finding the heart” to write a rallying speech, she decided to just come clean about the state she’s in now, a little more than a year since #MeToo became a viral hashtag and the world discovered her already decade-old campaign to support survivors of sexual abuse.

In that time, she has become a symbol and a leader, and she has witnessed the Me Too movement she created move forward and back, come under attack, and be warped by other people’s ideologies. Many around the world have expressed fatigue watching, from the sidelines, as progressive ideals are trampled while powerful people are protected. Her fatigue comes from living through the same experiences, “soldiering through the Supreme Court nomination process and attacks from the White House, gross mischaracterizations, internet trolls and the rallies and marches and heart-wrenching testimonies,” she explains. “Numbness is not always the absence of feeling,” she clarifies, “Sometimes it’s an accumulation of feelings.”

Ultimately, Burke said, the Me Too movement aims to "dismantle the building blocks of sexual violence: power and privilege." In order to do that, however, Burke said that the movement must consist of empathy for and between survivors. Survivors of sexual violence shouldn’t have to constantly recount their experiences, Burke told viewers, and they shouldn't be asked to "lean into their trauma." Instead, she said, they should be given the space to create and lean into joy — especially in light of world leaders and media organisations doubting them at every turn.

Burke concluded her TED Talk by urging viewers not to stop fighting sexual violence. She acknowledged that she — like many survivors — is "exhausted" and "numb," but insisted that "we owe future generations a world free of sexual violence." Despite being concerned about the direction #MeToo has taken in recent months, Burke maintained that she believes such a world is possible, and encouraged people to continue educating themselves and their children about power, privilege, and empathy.