Letters to a Rapist-Part 1.

In India we hear about a lot of rape cases,mostly those that have been brought forward by the media or the police or such.But whether reported or unreported,rape produces an impact on not just the rape victim,but her family members too.So,in this letter to a rapist,we see a sister telling about the impact men like him create on not just the rape victim and her kin,but to his entire community and the country as well.

Dear rapist,

                  A short skirt.Red lipstick.High heels.Brown hair.Sexy legs-that's all it took to provoke you.Rather than seeing my sister for her real beauty and strength,you chose these shallow features to take advantage of her.And you're not going to get away with it.

                            She was sixteen,my younger sister.She had been playing around ever since she was a kid,but after she saw a doctor treating a little kid in the first-aid room,she couldn't help but think about those people who could,with their arsenal of medicines and friendly smile,relieve people of their pain.She wanted to be one of them,no matter how hard the road would be.She wanted to be a doctor.

                   She was always carefree.Never thought how people felt about her.Whether they liked her or not,she would talk to them anyway.She always loved dogs and even adopted a stray dog to take care of him.She knew she wasn't perfect but that never stopped her from trying to be perfect.She annoyed me more than anyone else,but when I wanted her,she would stay with me the whole night,making sure I was fine.She was funny in a way that could bring sunshine back even on dark and rainy days.And she was smart too.She could memorize anything that she saw.And she loved doing maths and always taught kids so that they could have as much fun in math as she did.And she always had a spark in her eyes.I cannot believe that instead of trying to know these beautiful qualities,you decided to 'punish' her for something she wasn't responsible.

                 She was with her boyfriend that day.It was 5 days after her sixteenth birthday.She wore a black short skirt and she had her favourite red lipstick on.She wore those black colour heels I got from Mumbai.And she styled her hair.She wasn't drunk.Or high.And she wasn't even doing anything wrong.But she was a GIRL.And of course,rather than punishing mass murderers or guys who ask dowry,you chose to target a sixteen year old only because she didn't comply with your so-called 'Indian Culture'.And because of these 'solid' reasons,you took advantage of her.Raped her in the name of Indian culture.Assaulted her because you couldn't control yourself.Pinned her down because she had the guts to fight you back and not sit back and 'take it all'.

                               She came back home crying and she was never the same again.You got away with a 5-year prison sentence,but what about the torture you gave to the rest of her life?She gets judged for no reason.She gets dirty looks by her neighbours,even if she is doing something good.She is called a 'slut',a 'whore' and what not.And you?You are probably bribing the jail keeper to catch the latest cricket match,not even thinking about what you have done.

                     Today,I can do nothing but look at my sister and cry about what you've done to her.Though I know she is strong and brave,she hides a huge wound wide open in her heart.I'll probably never see the spark in her eyes ever again.And you?You say that she was 'inappropriately' dressed.You say that it was her fault that she got raped.You say that she should be a typical stereotype and stay within the four walls of her house.You say and say and say,but your ultimate reason-SHE WAS A WOMAN.

                      Mr.Rapist,it's not her.It's YOU.You are the reason why men get the courage to do things like this.You are the reason why girls get scared to catch autos.You are the reason why girls can't help but think what the next man is going to do to her in her bus.You are the reason why girls are frightened by the prospect of travelling after 9.Isn't this our country too?Don't we have the right to do what we like?Hang out with boys?Dress how we like?Do what we like?You were brought into this world by a woman,and this is how you treat her?

                      But this won't end.I know I cannot change the minds of thousands of people like you.But I know that you have sisters.Mothers.Wives.And even daughters.And someday they will go through the same phase as my sister did.They will be assaulted in the same way as my sister was because of the mentality of the people like you.And I know that you'll understand this only then.You wanted to challenge us,huh?Now you will see how we challenge Indian mentality.You will pay for this.You will.

                                                                              Sincerely,

                                                                             An elder sister.