The Malayali Morality: Have your say

Everyday,we hear some stories or other about women being molested in Kerala.The media thrive on them.

Earlier we could only read the stories on newspapers. Now we see them all on television, men and women covering their faces to avoid cameras,and a hoard of men outside to catch a glimpse of the poor women.it is a sadistic pleasure.Even if the woman had gone voluntarily to earn her daily bread,it is twisted in to a molestation story.Last month,a girl was trafficked all around Cochin on a motor bike,and when caught ,she said she was traded ,against her will.In most of the cases the women were taken to different parts of the state,stayed at class hotels where they had spent their nights,with men who paid for their services.At the end, the men had to undergo arrests,trials and public scorn and ridicule and humiliation..For many of them, it costs their family lives.We act as if we are the watchmen of morality, and divinity incarnate.

Harassing women in public places has become more or less an accepted hobby.Not many women can walk around confidently in our cities,with out getting pawed.The truth is that there will be hardly any woman who can escape pawing if they happen to travel by a public transport,specially a crowded city bus.

"All this often makes us long for a sexually promiscuous society so that these sick men can go and do it with willing women instead of bothering strangers".Comment by an NRI lady who recently visited Bombay.

“India is filled with perverted sex hungry , uncivilized men who gets sexually pampered by the Bollywood women every day. These vulgar Indian men are sex hungry. Native Indian women do not provide the sex to these Indian vulgar mens need. Sexual perversion is rampant in public transportation, roads, cinema halls and other public places. Be careful if you travel to India.” This was written by an NRI traveller in a Travel magazine.Too outright,I would say,and a bit harsh.

"Kumarakom, Kerala: Two minor girls from Canada, holidaying in Kumarakom, were allegedly molested by a security staff of a hotel, raising concerns over the safety of foreign tourists visiting Kerala. Police said the sisters, aged 12 and 13, came here and stayed at the hotel two days ago.Following the incident, the family cut short their stay and left the place".

And just few days back,we heard the story of a young girl who was arrested  on a molestation charge at Trivandrum,and  then molested by four policemen while in custody,after sending away  a  police woman away on some errand...Keepers of law and order!!.This makes us suspicious of the very purpose of our policemen and their enthusiasm in chasing these kind of cases.

There are too many similiar stories to mention.

What a credit to the moralists of Gods own country!

India's Supreme Court has asked the government to consider whether it might legalise prostitution if it is unable to curb it effectively.
The court said legalising prostitution would help in the monitoring of the trade and rehabilitating sex workers.
It is estimated that there are more than two million female sex workers in the country.
The court's remarks came while dealing with a public interest litigation filed by an NGO about child trafficking. The court said child trafficking and prostitution were flourishing because of poverty.

"When you say it is the world's oldest profession and you are not able to curb it by laws, why don't you legalise it?" Judges Dalveer Bhandari and AK Patnaik asked a government solicitor.

"You can then monitor the trade, rehabilitate and provide medical aid to those involved."

The solicitor said that he would look into the court's suggestions.

"The [sex workers] have been operating in one way or the other and nowhere in the world have they been able to curb it by legislation," the judges said.

"In some cases, [the trade] is carried out in a sophisticated manner. So, why don't you legalise it?"

A government-commissioned study says that the number of sex workers has risen from two million in 1997 to three million in 2003-04.Prostitues in India earn little,  as little as 4 dollars a day. A meager amount, but one that could be the difference between life and death for a starving family.




Alexa Albert, MD, wrote in her 2001 book Brothel that:


However disturbing the idea of commercial sex may be to some of us, it's naïve to believe that prostitution can ever be eliminated. The demand will be met with supply one way or another, no matter what is legislated. Turning our backs on the women (and men) who do this work may be far more immoral - even criminal - than prostitution itself. Only when we recognize and validate the work of professional prostitutes can we expect them to practice their trade safely and responsibly.

"Prohibition of gambling and alcohol have both been tried in varying degrees in many countries around the world, always with the result of stimulating illegality and sleaze. The sex industry appears to be no different. All developed economies have conceded that the business is impossible to stamp out. Tolerating prostitution while leaving it technically illegal or semi-legal encourages corruption: policemen are paid to turn a blind eye. It also renders the workers helpless against their employers and the policemen.

In many countries across the world, prostitution is more or less legalised.At least,there is some governmental supervison,to avoid child trafficking, promote  healthy pracices ,and to lessen crimes related to the profession.
Prostitution has been there from Biblical times.That is not an excuse to justify the cause.But if a minor willful vice saves many major crimes,and makes lives easier for ordianry people,what would you say?