Violence against Women

The United Nations General Assembly defines 'violence against women' as 'any act of gender based violence that results in physical,sexual or mental harm or suffering to women whether occuring in public or in private life.'Now,this is a social evil which is being perpetuated since olden times.Women across the world are subjected to different forms of violence including domestic violence.But a question upon which one might ponder is that,what is the main cause behind this violence?Sadly,prevalence of illiteracy and superstitions in our society make some to disrespect women,disregard them,look down upon them as 'commodity'.In recent times,the terrible brutal incident of Delhi gang rape more prominently highlights this issue.The entire nation broke out in protest in various forms condemning such an inhuman act and also seeking justice.We are still waiting for the brutes,the animals to be punished.But this also clearly reveals where we stand in this 21st century.Today we are in the 66th year of Independence,but still we have not yet achieved freedom in true sense of the term as women are not free,they cannot travel safely in any public transport,still they have to listen to derogatory comments passed upon them while they move in roads and streets,they are not the sole authority in their houses despite of being economically independent.In this patriarchal society,where we should believe in peaceful coexistence between men and women,we are hearing such cases of violence against women.In a way we are totally ignoring the feminists like Simon De Beauvoir,Margaret Atwood,Alice Walker,Mary Wollstonecraft and many others who have raised their voices against subjugated women.If we consider women to be at par with men in certain cases,then why is this violence?I often feel like we are living in a hellish nightmare where there are some monsters who are even worse than Satan or Beelzebub!that's the tragedy.Instances of domestic violence can be found in Alice Walker's novel The Color Purple, where the female protagonist Celie was brutally assaulted and raped by her father Alphonso.Moreover,the impact of  domestic violence in the sphere of total violence against women can also be well understood through the examples that 40-70% of murders of women are committed by their husbands.Infact violence against women starts from the very beginning  of a women's life,even before her birth,in the forms of female foeticide which is still being carried out in certain remote ares of our country.Really one feels shuddered,befuddled and at the same time dazed in this era where such inhuman practices are still being carried out.The positive thing is this all men are not animals,there are many men in our society who protest, who extend their helping hands to protect women from injustice,to keep them safeguarded.Yes,every morning the sun rises with a new hope,a new 'promise'-a promise that goes unreciprocated.God is waiting for us to stretch out our arms and embrace a better future-one that is bult upon trust,faith,love and peaceful coexistence between men and women.The world is looking towards 'some' men to be groomed,to be more perfect because perhaps the ability lies within them,to respect women,to stop violence and in the words of King of Pop-Michael Jackson--                          Heal the World/Make it a better place/for you and for me and the entire human race..!!...