Marital Rape

Rape is an act of sexual harassment. It is non-consensual in nature. There is the usage of force. It is self-degrading and disrespectful as the victim’s autonomy is breached and he/she is left with guilt which is depressing and demotivating in nature. There is growing sensitivity around the news of rape in the country which is a good sign. Due to the rise of social media and the digital age, the acts which were hitherto hidden earlier under the name of shame is now brought forward. This, in turn, acts as a great deterrence and give more sensitivity to the public about the issue and its aftereffect on the lives of the victims. However, there is also a darker side of it which is the rape of a minor child & the not-so-talked-about marital rapes.

Marriage legalizes sexual intercourse between two individual. However, the factor of mutual consent is the least spoken. If the second spouse is not willing to engage in sexual pleasure, the first spouse ideally should submit to the decision. If in case the willing spouse go on rather forcefully, it is something we call marital rape. In a patriarch society like ours, there is the dominance of man over the woman. This may have changed a bit in the urban region; in the rural areas, it is something that clearly needs a deafening voice. Due to the financial dependency over the husband, it is further aggravated. It is also considered a taboo to talk about sex in public life in India. In the schools itself, the teachers are not serious and sensitive enough to talk about the subject matter. This has created further hesitation and this crime of marital rape keeps on happening behind the closed doors.

There is a need for elaborate discussion on the issue through print and digital media. More surveys need to be conducted to understand the gravity of the situation. Role of education is important. The thought process has to be changed and it can very well start from the schools, in public assemblies and so on. People need to come out and share their stories. The fundamental rights of Right to Freedom, Right to Equality, Right to live with dignity – it is clearly the case of a dignified and a consensual life. It is true that it could hamper the institution of marriage and if criminalized, it could be a tool to harass the innocent husbands. We have examples of false dowry cases. Therefore, a middle path could be the need of the hour i.e. the path of awareness and social campaign.