The Harsh Reality of Femicide

In a world dominated by men, there is no place for women. Due to the patriarchal system of India, women are subjected to abuse and neglect. Furthermore, femicide, the purpose elimination of women solely due to their gender. Although, femicide may seem like a nefarious act, it is a necessary evil.

In India, it is far better to be born a male than a female. The moment the sex of the child has been revealed is the moment that the hate crimes begin. These hate crimes are consistent with that of femicide. “A girl child in India, who is between the ages 1 to 5-years-old, is 75 percent more likely to die than a boy in the same age category”, says Rita Banerji. These killing methods include starvation, physical abuse, burying the child alive, and suffocation. These acts are justly viewed as inhumane and cruel but in the long run those infant girls are being saved from a life full of abuse.

Last year in December a sixteen year old student was gang raped on a moving bus in New Delhi. She sustained massive internal bleeding that led to her death two weeks later. This kind incident takes place daily in India, but of course it does not make national headlines. “Every girl at any age experiences this — harassment or rape. We don’t feel safe,” said law school graduate Rapia Pathania. By partaking in femicide, those 50 million girls who are missing from India today are spared from this type mistreatment.

The majority of femicide that takes place is solely due to the economic stability, rather instability, of the families. Baby girls are seen as financial burdens to Indian families, especially to the poor. When a girl has reached maturity, her family must pay a dowry for her marriage. A dowry is gifts in cash or land to a bride by her family so that she may maintain independence after marriage. This dowry intern inherited by her husband.

Unfortunately, a women’s work, whether in the fields, factories, or at home, is not recognized; therefore, they cannot provide for themselves. Due to this women forced into marriages just so they can fulfill simple necessities to survive. In India, there are many dowry related deaths. Those young girls who are lucky or perhaps unlucky enough to survive and mature into adulthood will most likely die by the hands of their abusers, their husbands.

Dowry violence is usually committed by the husband or the in-laws in order extract higher dowry from the bride’s family. The price of the dowry may be significant at the time of marriage but as time goes on greed may grow. This will usually translate to physical, mental or sexual violence against the bride. The violence ranges from slashing genitalia or breasts with razors to burning her alive. In some cases, women are driven to suicide.

According to Vibhuti Patel, “The number of dowry-deaths was 358 in 1979, 369 in 1980, 466 in 1981, 537 in 1982, 1319 in 1986 and 1418 in 1987 as per the police records.” These numbers in themselves are staggering and upsetting, but the truth is these are only the deaths that are reported to local law enforcement. The sad reality is that the predicted number of unregistered deaths is thought to be ten times higher. “In such circumstances, ‘Is it not desirable that a woman dies rather than be ill-treated?’ ask many social scientists. In Dharam Kumar’s (1983) words: ‘Is it really better to be born and ‘left to die’ than be killed as a foetus?” I believe that the answer to this question is yes.

As stated before, as of 2013, it is estimated that India has lost 50 million girls from their population. Those girls who are missing can help increase the value of the current existing women. Soon, large amounts of men will not be able to find wives. Meaning that the demand for women will increase. Potentially becoming a positive thing. Women will no longer be viewed as replaceable, and they will be treated with care. Unfortunately, the country has not reached this point of desperation and until then women will continue to suffer as they always have.

Indian men tend to pride themselves on their families and their wives ability to bear them sons. “According to the 1981 Census… the ratio was 863 girls per 1000 boys”, and today the gap has become larger. This shocking realization has left many to ponder what exactly the ramifications could be. The reality is that families are now beginning to buy women who have been kidnapped as wives for their sons. The lack of women will not undo India’s patriarchal system. If anything the deficiency of women will only increase the crimes that are committed such a rape and abduction.

Many would argue that the femicide that is occurring is horrific and should be stopped. Women from all over the world have advocated for the injustices in India to be put to an end. Indian women have no value other than their ability to produce male children. They receive no acknowledgement for their hard work nor do they venture out of their homes to educate themselves; this not a life that any women would choose for herself. “Social Indian activist Rita Banerji, of the 50 Million Missing Campaign, blames greed for the elimination of female children in India. ‘Greed and a certain moral apathy… …has become rooted like a disease in India,’ she outlines.” The Indian government has taken actions to outlaw such behavior. It is illegal to find out the sex of an infant. It is also illegal for families to request a dowry upon engagement. Furthermore, and most obvious, it is illegal to commit femicide. People worldwide have fought and advocated for change by campaigning and petitioning. Steps are being taken to end the injustices, but little more than a dent has been made.

The femicide will not end in India. No one can or will dismantle this patriarchal society that has flourished for centuries. Women are born believing that their only value is producing sons. They are afraid to not conform to society due to constant threats of violence, harassment, and social outcasting. Femicide will continue to take place. Women will continue to be abused and neglected. If Indian women cannot leave or pursue a better life then the only escape is death. Those young girls who die after birth will never know what it is like to be beaten, raped, and abused. Is it truly better to die than to live a life that’s not worth living?

Works Cited

Banerji, Rita, India femicide: Where girl infants face ‘pre-meditated’ murder, 2012, Women’s News Network, http://womennewsnetwork.net/2012/02/07/india-girl-infants-murder-femicide/

Ali, Saleha, “The Truth About India’s ‘Gendercide'”, November 1, 2013. Spiked.com http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/the_truth_about_indias_gendercide/14232#.U1lWgSraKR9

“4 Men Convicted In Fatal Delhi Gang Rape Of Student”, September 10,2013. Foxnews.com. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/09/10/4-men-convicted-in-fatal-delhi-gang-rape-student/

“Petition To Stop Female Genocide/ Femicide/ Gendercide in India”, 2006 http://genderbytes.wordpress.com/petition/petition-to-stop-female-genocide-femicide-gendercide-in-india/

Patel, Vibhuti, “Sex-determination and Sex Preselection In India: Recent Techniques In Femicide”,1982,Reproductive and Genetic Engineering: Journal of International Feminist Analysis.http://www.finrrage.org/pdf_files/RepTech%20General/Sex_Determination_and_Femicide_in_India.pdf