Speaking out: retaliation against rape

Isaac Ortiz/ Contributing Writer
An unspeakable event occurred on December 16 in New Delhi, India.  A 23-year-old woman was brutally beaten and raped by five men. She died later due to her  severe injuries.
Now, the women of India are protesting against rape violence and trying to get the attention of the media. But is there a message getting across?
Women have gone generations keeping quiet about violence like this.
A similar rape case surfaced recently in Sri Lanka and this has given me, and hopefully the world, a wake-up call.
Dr. Yesim Darici, the director of women studies at the University, has a strong opinion on the subject.
“Women have gone unseen with these events for generations,” she said.
Many times it’s because culture forces these women to stay quiet. But for Dr. Darici, “it’s no culture” to allow women this pain.
I personally agree.  No person should have to go through such suffering and injustice. And we, as citizens of this world, as human beings, should be talking about what’s going on here and question the root of this problem.
Somehow, some men feel that the incident wasn’t really the fault of the men, blaming the women for dressing provocatively.
According to a recent report from the British Broadcasting Corporation, a Toronto police officer said, “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.”
The amount of ignorance and insensitivity behind that statement is unbelievable! It’s like saying that I’ll get hit for wearing a certain color.
In New York, and in other major cities around the world, parades are held in order to bring awareness to the injustice and discrimination. These parades are known as “slut walks.” These walks are part of a movement to raise awareness against violence on women. The women there dress very provocatively and do it on purpose. It’s a way to express their message and get it across.
I would say the changes to come are in favor for all women.
“The punishment should be severe for men who commit rape,” said Dr. Darici.
In such a progressive culture you would think more consequences would be placed on the offenders and that more would be done to prevent the crimes.
We are not doing enough.
The government and the people are not placing enough emphasis, or even instituting, the proper punishments when these types of crimes occur—leaving the victims vulnerable and unprotected.
Women aren’t puppets, there aren’t strings attached to them that you just pull and maneuver whichever way you want. And there are certainly consequences when they are treated as objects.
The rapes that have happened in New Delhi and in Sri Lanka also gave voice to the few men that have the balls to say what is right.
Darici states that only two good things came of this: men became men because they also spoke out against the crimes and the Internet helped raise awareness globally.
Ten years ago, we wouldn’t have heard anything about this, but now the web keeps everyone and everything connected. It’s helped the victims develop a voice—not just locally but internationally.
One Billion Rising is a movement against violence on women. The organization began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped in her lifetime.
In Florida the reported statistic is 1 in 6.
On Feb. 14, 2013, the V-Day organization will be celebrating its 15th anniversary and will celebrate it with the world’s largest global event, One Billion Rising. The V-Day organization is a global movement that strives to end violence against women and girls. OBR is an invitation for one billion women and those who love them to walk out, dance, rise up, and demand an end to this violence.
FIU, Miami, and its surrounding communities will be joining millions of activists in over 170 countries. They will rise and dance across borders to bring attention to this violence.
On that day we will be dancing with millions, or billions, worldwide to demand an end to this violence.
The event is scheduled from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and will take place between the Blue & Gold parking garages. Join this movement to honor the women in New Delhi, Sri Lanka and worldwide to bring awareness internationally.