The news on violence on women, trafficking, dowry killings, and sexual abuse at work places compulsorily deserve a place in newspapers in India nowadays. The religious fanatics and the fundamentalists resort to atrocities on women in the name of religion and god across the nation. During the eruption of communal violence, the hooligans and the anti-social elements target women and sexually assault them -- just to intimidate the opponents and subdue them.

On the other hand, even police indulge in custodial raping. Domestic violence on women, sexual harassment at work places, eve teasing, raping and killings are rampant in big cities and the situation makes women live in perpetual fear of violence. Fear complex suppresses the aspirations and ambitions of women and the adolescent girls.

Most of the cases of sexual violence or abuse are not exposed or expressed by the victims to the outer world for fear of social stigma or in fear of dire consequences to be committed by the perpetrators. In case of rape, the parents and the close relatives of the victims do not ever let this news spread out mainly in fear of being stigmatized.

The greatest tragedy that happens in India, even after the lapse of 62 years since Indian independence, is the social exclusion of women in all fields -- be it social or political or economical.

So, Society of Women in Action for Total Empowerment (SWATE) observed the International Day against Violence on Women on the 25th of November 2010 by way of organizing a demonstration in front of the Taluk Office in Karur. About 300 women participated in the demonstration. Ms. Christy, the coordinator of SWATE presided over the demonstration and spoke on women’s emancipation.

By way of illustrating the subjugated status of women kind, they tied their eyes and mouths and hands with black cloths. The woman activists raised slogans for the effective implementation of Domestic Violence Prevention Act -- 2006, close monitoring of child trafficking, immediate retrenchment of teachers involve in sexual abuse of school children on the school premises itself and total prohibition of liquor.

Published in In Motion Magazine February 5, 2011

Also see:

• Interview with L. A. Samy and Christina Samy of AREDS and SWATE
  (Association of Rural Education and Development Service)
  (Society of Women in Action for Total Empowerment)
  The poor have to be united / You create alternatives
  Renganathapuram, Tamil Nadu, India
  
  
• Index of articles by L.A. Samy of AREDS and Christina Samy of SWATE (Society of Women in Action for Total Empowerment) in Tamil Nadu, India.