McInnis1

HannahMcInnis
ProfessorMaurer
WritingForCollege120L140
15November2013
ImpactofGenderInequalityinIndia
Indiaisacountrywithapopulationof1.27billionpeopleandrichtraditions,but
alsoaseriousgenderdisparity.Indianfamiliestraditionallyprefersonstodaughters,as
thelatterareseenasliabilitiestothefamily.InIndiansociety,sonsareabletoprovidea
stableeconomicfuturefortheirfamilieswhilegirlshavetowaittobemarried.Thenthey
areessentiallytheirhusbandsproperty.Intheiryouth,girlsaremalnourished,
uneducated,anduncaredfor(Bose67).Indiastreatmentofwomenisinhumaneand
uncivilized.Theirpopulationratiooffemalestomalesisskewedbecauseofgender
selectiveabortionsandfemaleinfantdeathsduetoneglectandmalnutrition(Ahmad1).
Rapeisconsideredtobejustpartoftheculture.Themostprominentrapecasetocome
outofIndiaoccurredinthecapitalofNewDelhiinDecemberof2012.Thisparticular
casewassosignificantbecauseitwascommittedbysixmen,whowerestrangerstothe
victim.Shewasamedicalstudentwithabrightandpromisingfuturewhowasplanning
onprovidingforherextremelypoorfamily(Allan1).WomeninIndianeedsupportfrom
outsideforcestotakeastandanddemandbettertreatmentintheirculture.
Sonpreferenceisthemostprevalentreasonfortheabuseandneglectofwomenin
India.Theideaofsonpreferencecontributestofemalefeticideandintimatepartner
violence,twomajorimpactingfactorsonwomeninIndiansociety.Theconceptofson

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preferenceiswidelyheldinIndia,assonsareseenasafinancialasset.Boysareableto
provideincomefortheirfamiliesthroughreceivingthedowrywhenmarried,doingmuch
oftheworkinthefields,andmothersareabletodependfinanciallyontheirsonswhen
theirhusbandsdie.Thissenseofstabilityissomethingonlysonsareabletoprovidefor
theirfamilies.Daughtersareseenastemporarymembersofthefamily,soparentsare
morelikelytoprovidefortheirsons(Bose68).Parentsseesonsasaninvestmentinthe
future,astheheisresponsibleforcaringforhiselderlyparents.Importantly,tradition
holdsthatsonsarenecessaryinordertokindlethefuneralpyreoftheirlateparentsand
toassistinthesoulsalvation(Ahmad1).Culturaltraditionalsoallowsforwomentobe
leftintheeleventhyearofmarriageiftheyareunabletoprovideason(1).Womenwho
areunabletoprovidesonsareatahigherriskforabusefromtheirhusbands,andtheyare
morelikelytoneglecttheirdaughters(Sabarwaletal.44).Educationofmothersisfound
tobeimportantinreducingthedesireforonlysonsandfamilywealthandeconomic
statusmakenodifferenceinsonpreference(PandeandMalhotre1).Sonsarealso
preferredinIndianculturebecausetheypreservethefamilylineage,asdaughtersaresold
toahusbandsfamilyshebecomeshisproperty.Genderofoldersiblingsalsoinfluences
parentalsonpreference.Adaughterthatisbornwitholderbrothersislesslikelytobe
neglected,asthefamilyhasalreadyfulfilledtheirdesireforsons.Onthecontrary,a
daughterbornwitholdersistersismorelikelytoexperienceneglectfromherparents(2).
Overall,thispreferenceforsonsisseriouslydamagingtothepopulationinIndia,and
femaleinfanticideandfeticideisbecomingmoreandmoreprevalentintodayssocietyin
India.

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TherearemanyculturaltraditionsinIndiathatperpetuatethisideaoffemale
feticide.FemaleinfantcideandfeticidehavebeenpracticedinIndiaforcenturies,and
theseareresponsibleforanabnormalgenderratioanddiscrimination.Thefinancial
burdenofadaughterisaprimarycauseforabortionofafemalefetus.Itisquitesimply
moreexpensivetoraiseafemalethanamale,asthefemalechildneedstobeprovideda
dowryuponmarriage(Ahmad3).Thedowryisapaymentmadetothegroomandhis
familyinexchangeforthemarriageoftheirdaughter.Inthisway,ownershipofthe
daughteristransferredfromthedaughtersfamilytoherhusband.Additionallythe
bridesfamilyischieflyresponsibleforpayingtheexpenseofthewedding.Thisfinancial
burdenismorethanunwantedbymanyfamilies.UrbanareasinthenorthofIndiaare
experiencinggreaternumbersoffemalefeticide,anditismorecommonamongthe
educatedmiddleclass(Jena3).Thisdataseemssurprising.Thereisatypicalassumption
thepoorfamilieswouldchoosetoaborttheirchild,duetoalackofresources.However
thereismorepressureonurbanfamiliestohavesonsbecausethereisnotenoughspace
forlargefamilies,andsonsaremoreeasilyabletofindjobstoprovideforthefamily.
Indiansocietyhasmisusedthemedicaldevelopmentsofsexdetectionoffetusesinorder
toabortonlyfemales.
AbortionisinfactlegalinIndia,andthereforeitisdeemedculturallyacceptable
forwomentoseekabortion,unliketheUnitedStateswherethereisastigmaforwomen
seekingabortions.Therearemanymethodsparentstaketomurdertheirfemalechild,
simplybecausetheydonotwanttoraiseher.2,000unborngirlsareillegallyaborted
everydayinIndia(Jena1).Womeneitherabortthechildoncethesexhasbeen

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detected,whichismuchfurtherintothegestationalperiodthanatypicalabortionwould
occur,andthefetusismoredeveloped(Ahmad7).Ultrasoundtechnologieshavebeen
abusedtodetectthesexofthebabyinordertoselectivelyabortfemalebabies.Ifthe
femalechildhasbeenborn,thereareviolentanddisturbingmeasurestakentoendthelife
ofthechildduetothetraditionalbeliefthatkillingadaughterwillensurethenextchild
willbeason(Jena1).Parentswillsuffocate,bury,poison,starve,orsimplyneglecttheir
femalechild.3,000,000girlsdieannuallyinIndiaandanestimatedoneinsixfemale
deathsisduetogenderdiscriminationandgrossneglect(1).
Girlsaresubjecttogenderdiscriminationthroughnutrition,clothing,education,
andhealthcare(Jena2).Frombirth,girlsreceivelessnutritiousfood,limitedclothing,no
accesstoeducation,anddeniedproperhealthcare.Theimportanttopicofeducationisa
keyconceptinpromotingwelfareofgirlsinIndia.Infact,Indiahasplacedasignificantly
lowpriorityoneducationoffemales.Asaresult,theyhaveoneofthelowestfemale
literacyratesinAsia.Moresignificantlyisthegendergapofliteracywithinthecountry
itself(Bose69).Girlsinattendanceofschoolcontinuestodecreasebyage,whereas
boysremainsteadilygoingtoschool(69).Theneglectisperpetuatedinaviciouscycle,
asgirlswhowereneglectedintheiryoutharelikelytocontinuetheideaofson
preferenceandneglectfulbehaviortowardstheirdaughters(69).Thereislimited
governmentpolicyintermsofselectiveabortion,andthereisnotmuchdonetoenforce
thelawsthatareincurrentlyplace.Thelawstatesthatabortionislegalonlyincertain
situations;ifthepregnancyisdangeroustothemother,ifthepregnancyisdangerousto
thechild,orthefetusisaresultofarape(Ahmad7).Stepshavebeentakentoprevent

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parentstoselectivelyabortfemalefetuses.Femalefeticideisapunishableoffense;
parentsfacefinesandjailtimeiftheycommitthiscrime(7).However,thereislackof
motivationtoenforcethelaws,becausefemalefeticideissoculturallyacceptable(8).
Somearguethatfeticideishelpfulasithelpscontroltherapidpopulationincreaseandit
preventspoorfamiliesfromfallingdeeperintopoverty,astheywillnothavetopaythe
expenseofthedowry(6).However,theseargumentsarenottrulyvalid.
Itissomewhattruethatlegalabortionallowsforpopulationcontrol;however,
selectivelyabortingfemalesisactuallymoredestructivetothepopulationthanbeneficial.
Selectivelyabortingfemalesisskewingthepopulationratiosotherearealargenumber
ofmenwithouttheopportunitytofindamate.Withthislackoffemalestomarry,these
singlemencouldbecomeaprobleminIndiansociety.Thereisastronglikelihoodthese
mencouldturntocrime,whichputswomenatahigherriskofbeingabductedandsold
intosexslaverytosatisfytheneedofthesesinglemen(Ahmad6).Thesocialimpactof
unmarriedmenequallyaffectswomen,asmenchanneltheiremptinessandemotions
towardsexualabuseanddestructivebehaviortowardswomen(6).Specificallyinthe
capitalofIndia,ThesharpriseinsexcrimesinNewDelhihasbeenattributedtothe
unequalsexratio(6).Indiaisexperiencingaseriousprobleminabuseandviolence
towardswomen.
Therearemanyimportantfactorscontributingtowardstheviolenceandsexual
abuseofwomeninIndia.Themostsignificantcauseofviolencebetweenmarried
couplesistheconceptofsonpreference(Sabarwaletal.43).Aspreviouslymentioned,
sonsarepreferredinIndianfamiliesbecausetheycanprovideeconomicstabilityand

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contributeinreligiousceremonies.Thisidealeavesgirlsatadisadvantagefrombirth.
Wiveswhoareunabletoprovidesonsfortheirfamilyareunsupportedandtreatedwith
hostilitybyherinlaws,increasedriskofnonconsensualsex,anddivorce(44).Indiais
experiencingafemalegenocide(Ahmad9).Peopledonotviewthedestructionofthe
femalepopulationasaviolationofhumanrightsasfemalesarenotviewedashaving
rightsatall.WithinIndia,[intimatepartnerviolence]iswidespreadandhasbeenlinked
toadversephysical,sexual,andmentalhealthconsequences(Sabarwaletal.43).
SpecificfactorscontributingtoIPVincludepoverty,loweducationlevels,youth
marriages,anddowrypayments(44).Becausetherearesuchspecificreasonsfor
violence,itiseasytotargettheseareastofurtherpreventviolence.
Effortshavebeenmadetoprotectthelivesofwomen,suchaslawsagainst
selectiveabortions,andahelplineforwomentocallwhentheyhavebeenattacked.The
lawsprotectingunbornfemalesrightsarenotproperlyenforced,asthereisnocultural
support.ItisviewedasacceptableinIndiansocietytomurderunbornandinfantgirls.
Worseningsexratiosrequirepolicyattention.Itisnotonlyimportanttofocuson
preventinggenderselectivefeticide,buttofocusonthegirlsthatdosurvive.Indianeeds
toprovidehealthcareandeducationprogramstocatertothegirlswhohavebeen
neglectedbytheirparents.Thepastpolicieshavenotmadeanimpact,soitisseenasan
urgentneed.
Also,thehelplinethathasbeenestablishedinNewDelhicanonlyachieveso
muchsuccessinprosecutingrapeandviolenceagainstwomen,astheyhavesodirect
influenceoverthepolicedepartment(Lakshimi2).Additionally,womendonotfeelit

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necessarytoreportallabuseasitisseenasculturallyunacceptable(1).Womencallto
saytheyarebeingstalkedandmolestedonthestreets,raped,harassedbythephoneand
Facebook,beatenbytheirhusbands,orattackedwithacidbyspurnedlovers(1).Indiais
facingaseriousproblemwithsexualviolencetowardswomen.Thecalllinehasreceived
138,000phonecallssinceitsestablishment.Almosttwentypercentofthecallscome
fromchildren,whichisadisturbingstatistic.Girlswillcallinthemiddleofthenightto
reporttheyarebeingsexualabusedbyanolderman(2).Inorderforthehelplinetobe
abletoeffectivelyhelpIndianwomen,theyareinneedofupdatedtechnologies,suchasa
phonelocationtrackingsystem,aswellasincreasedcooperationfromthepolice.Once
thesethingshavebeenachieved,thehelplinewillhavemoresuccess.
TopresenttheculturalnormofrapeinIndia,itisimportanttodiscusstheNew
Delhirapecaseof2012.Thiscasebecamewidelypublicizedaroundtheworldfora
essentialreasons.Thesixmenwhocommittedtherapeandmurderwerestrangerstothe
victim,whichisveryunusual.Typically,rapeiscommittedbysomeoneknowntothe
victim,suchasafamilymemberoraneighbor(Allan1).Secondly,afterthemenraped
her,theybeathertodeathwithametalpole.Theyalsorapedherwiththeobject,and
thentheydumpedherbodyonthesideoftheroad(Naqvi1).Thegraphicdetailsofthe
casedrewagreatdealofmediaattention,asthiscasewasmuchmorestrikingthanmany.
Finally,thevictimwasa23yearoldmedicalstudentwithapromisingfuture.Herfather
hadallowedhertoattendschoolaheadofherolderbrother,whichisveryuncommonin
India.Herfamilyrepresentsasmallgrowingcommunityinwhichfamiliessupporttheir
daughtersineducation(1).Inmanyrapecases,thereisablamethevictimmentalityin

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whichsomeattempttosaythattherapewasthevictimsfaultbecauseofacertain
behaviororthewayawomandresses.Inthiscase,therewasnoreasonforblamingthe
victim(1).Shewascompletelyinnocentandundeservingofthisfate.Journalist,
MuneezaNaqviinterviewedmembersofthevictimsfamily,astheydiscusshowthey
aredevastatedbythedeathoftheirdaughter.
Thevictimsfamilyisshatteredbytheunexpecteddeathoftheirbrightyoung
daughter.Herfatherdescribedherastheheroofthefilminourfamily,alwayssmiling,
alwayslaughing(Naqvi1).Herfamilywasextremelypoor,butmembersallworkedin
ordertosupporteachother,whichcreatedaclosebondbetweenfamilymembers.The
victimsbrothersreliedontheiroldersistertohelpthemwiththeirhomework,andthey
admiredherdearly.Relativesintheirvillagefeltthatherfatherhadgivenhertoomuch
freedom.Theythoughtsheneededtobemarried,andbehavingasawomanisexpected
tobehave.OnDecember16,theirliveswereforeverchanged.Thevictimhadgoneinto
thecitytoseeamoviewithafriend,andsheneverreturned.Thepolicecalledat11:10to
tellthefamilytheirdaughterhadbeeninanaccident.Whatactuallyhappenedwasmuch
worse.Thebusthevictimboardedwasactuallysixmenoutforajoyride(2)andthe
twovictimsweredriventhroughthecityfornearlyanhour.Hermalefriendtriedto
defendher,buthewassimplyoutnumbered.Shewasgangraped,andpenetratedwith
metalrods,causingsuchsevereinternalinjuriesthatdoctorsfoundpartsofherintestines
floatinginherabdomen(2).Shefoughtforsurvival,buteventuallyinfectiontookover
herbodyandshediedonDecember29,2012.Threeweeksafter[their]daughterdied,

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herfinalexamresultswereannounced.Shehadpassed(2).Thiscasebroughtoutrageto
menandwomeninIndia,andaroundtheworld.
Thesixmenwhoweretriedinthecaseallpleadnotguiltytothecourt.Fiveof
themenwereintheirtwentiesorthirties,andthesixthwasajuvenile.Oneofthe
suspectswasfounddeadinjail,andtheothersweredeliveredthedeathsentencebythe
court(BBCNews:India1).Allofthesemenwereknownastroublemakersintheir
communities.Theygrewupintheslumswithpoorbackgrounds.Outofthesix,onlyone
waseducatedandspokeEnglish.Themanwhowasindicatedasthemainsuspect,Ram
Singh,wasfounddeadinjail,hehadhangedhimselfbeforeatrialcouldoccur(1).
Typicallysuicideisanindicationofguilt.RamsyoungerbrotherMukeshdeniedthe
chargesofrapingandbeatingthewoman.Heclaimedtobedrivingthebuswhilethe
otherfivecommittedthecrime,howeverhewasfoundguiltyandsentencedtodeathfor
therapeofthewoman(1).VinaySharmawaschargedwithmurderandrape,andalso
destructionofevidencewhenhewasfoundtryingtowashthebusaftertheattack.He
claimedhewasnoteveninNewDelhiatthetime,buthewasfoundguilty(2).Pawan
Guptaadmittedthathehaddoneahorriblethingandheshouldbehanged.Hewasfound
guiltyincourt(2).Thesixthmanwasajuvenileatthetimeofthecrime,sohewastried
asaminor.Hewashandedamaximumsentenceofthreeyearsinareformfacility(3).
Thesemenhadnoreasontorapeandmurderthevictiminsuchabrutalway.The
brutalityofthecaseisthereasonallofthemenweregiventhedeathsentence.Thiscase
servesasanexampleforallofIndia.Rapeisunacceptableandviolatorswillbegivena
severepunishmentfortheiractions.

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IndiaswomensrightslawyerFlaviaAgnescomparedIndiasrapecultureto
Americasguncultureintermsofprevalenceintheirsociety.Therapethatoccurredin
Decemberispartofamuchlargerpicture.Thecountryisviewingthisasacatalystfor
change.Thegovernmentisadvocatingfornewantirapelaws,butcitizensareskeptical
astowhetheralawwillactuallychangeanythingatall.Indiaisawareofitsrapeproblem
anditispossiblethatglobalinterventionisnecessary.Thelawsthathavebeenenacted
arenotbeingenforced,andthereisreallynoforcebehindthewomensrights
movements.Religionandtraditionplayanimportantroleintheneglectandabuseof
women,andcontributetotheideasofsonpreferenceandintimatepartnerviolence.
Specifically,Muslimwives,especiallythoseinlowercastesaremorelikelytoexperience
intimatepartnerviolenceandexpressideasofsonpreference(Sabarwaletal.48).
Economicstatusandgeographiclocationalsoplayanimportantroleintheideaof
womensrights.Forexample,sonpreferenceishighlyreportedintheurbanareas,and
thesemiddleclassfamiliesaretakingstepstoavoidtheburdenofraisingadaughter(48).
AlsosonpreferenceismorehighlyreportedintheNorthofIndia,andasaresult,women
aremorepoorlytreatedinthisarea(Jena3).Thegenderratioissignificantlylowerinthe
norththaninthesouthbecauseofthispreferenceofsonandpoortreatmentofwomen.
InorderforIndiatotrulychangethecultureofabusivebehaviortowardswomen,
theirbeliefsmustfirstbechanged.ThetraditionalneedforsonsinIndianfamiliesis
slowlylessprevalentintheirsociety.Sonsarepreferredforeconomicandreligious
benefit,buttheadoptionofmodernideasinIndiaisallowingwomentobeacceptedin
Indianculture.Educationisakeyfactorinreducingtheideaofsonpreferenceandin

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turn,betteringthelivesofgirls.Theeducationofwomenallowsforthemtobebetter
mothers,functionalhousekeepers,andsuccessfulhumanbeings(Bose71).These
mothersareabletoworktosupportthemselvesandtheirfamily,allowingthemtobeless
dependentonhusbandsandsonsforsupport.Lawsoutlawinggenderselectiveabortion
needtobeproperlyenforced.Additionally,theuseofultrasoundsoftwaretodetectthe
genderofthefetusneedstobecarefullymonitoredtomakesurethetechnologyisnot
beingmisused.TheNewDelhiRapecaseisprovidingIndiawithasignificantreasonto
fightabuseofwomen,andthecountryneedstotakeadvantageofthecasesnotoriety.
ThepoortreatmentofwomeninIndiahasbeenaculturalnormforcenturies,which
explainswhychangehasbeensoslow.OnceIndiaembracesthepowerofwomen,they
willbegintoseeaneconomicandsocialreward.
Works Cited
Ahmad, Nehalludin. Female Feticide in India. Issues in Law & Medicine. 26.1. (2010):
1-14. Print.
Allan, Vicky. Crime Revealed In the Appalling Treatment of Women In India Sunday
Herald. Newsquest News Group. 6 January 2013. Web. 22 September. 2013.
Bose, Sunita. A Contextual Analysis of Gender Disparity in India: The Relative Effects
of Son Preference, Womens Status, and Community Sociological Perspectives.
55.1 (2012): 67-91. Web. 19 September. 2013.
Jena, Sasmita. The Practice of Female Feticide and Infanticide Among Scheduled Caste
Population in India. Voice of Dalit. 4.1 (2011): 1-5. Print. ]

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Lakshmi, Rama. In New Delhi a Help Line for Women Is Flooded With Calls The
Washington Post. The Washington Post Company, 21 June 2013. Web. 22
September. 2013.
Naqvi, Muneera. India Gang Rape: Assault Shatters Familys Dreams The Huffington
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Pandi, Rohini, and Anju Malhotra. Son Preference and Daughter Neglect in India:What
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Profiles: Delhi Gang Rapists BBC News India. BBC News, 2013. Web. 22 September.
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Sabarwal,Shagun,etal.SonPreferenceandIntimatePartnerViolenceVictimizationin
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