What do we talk about when we talk of rape? Oftentimes, we find people shaming the victim and blaming her for the course of events. We also find people who justify rape. It becomes a major problem when powerful people do the same because they have the ability to influence people’s minds.
For example, the President of the Congress unit in Kerala, Mullappally Ramachandran, recently called a victim of multiple rapes a “prostitute” and went on to make several derogatory remarks about rape survivors, reports The Indian Express.
Addressing a woman who had accused several political leaders and ministers of raping her, Ramachandran said:
“That is a woman who had lamented that she was raped across the state. One can understand if a woman says she has been raped once. If she’s one with self-respect, either she will die or she will not let it happen again. But every day she is telling she is raped by someone.”
He went on to add how the opposition party has hired a “prostitute” to tell lies, reports Hindustan Times.
A female entrepreneur complains that she was repeatedly raped by ministers of last UDF Gov. Today @INCKerala president @MullappallyR calls her a prostitute & said that honorful women would've die, had they been raped, even once. Another reason why these monsters must be defeated. pic.twitter.com/bgmn6MLnh3
— pratheesh (@pratheesh) November 1, 2020
Ramachandran’s “anti-women” statements have sparked outrage amongst people. India Today quoted Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja saying:
“Rape is the worst and cruellest of crimes in human society. It is not the mistake of the woman who falls prey to such crimes. Mullappally Ramachandran shouldn’t have made such misogynistic statements. Such remarks should widely be condemned.”
She added, “Only persons with a dangerous mentality can say such things. Do rape victims who do not commit suicide have no self-respect? Did he mean that?”
After facing backlash for his statements, Ramachandran has issued an apology wherein he said, “As my remarks were construed as anti-women by certain quarters, I express my regret unconditionally.”
However, the Kerala Women’s Commission registered a case against Ramachandran, calling his apology insincere. They said, “The repeated anti-women statements of political leaders is an insult to Kerala. Such statements cannot be allowed.”
It is shameful for politicians, who are often looked up to as changemakers of the society, to make such derogatory statements!