We have
evolved over millions of years, sharing ancestry with innumerable beings and
reaching our current state. During the course, we have transcended the limits of
natural world and constructed a whole new dimension of life for ourselves which
we label as culture. Such is the nature of culture that it is dynamic,
malleable and diffuses easily. I will try to trace the changes in culture that
occurred in recent times, which could possibly impact the mating systems and
let to heinous crimes against females.
The human
mating system has evolved mostly as a monogamous system, with both females and
males having specific roles as highlighted by the sexual selection. The monogamous
pair might not be universal and local cultural variations may be found adapted
to their respective ecology. We have cultures ranging from polygynous to
polyandrous, but biologically; we find a nearly universal pattern of sexual
selection. In an extensive study by David Buss across 150 cultures, it was
found that males were mostly valued for their resourcefulness and social
standing and females were valued for the traits showing higher fertility.
Various studies have adduced the selection of secondary sexual features such as
swollen breasts and wider pelvis, purporting higher fertility. When we find
such a pattern, it reflects evolutionary mating systems that have shaped the
sexual relationships in every culture.
A change
that occurred in the mid-17th century Europe has been, perhaps, the
most pugnacious in the history of human evolution. With inception of
individualism in western nations and its spread across the globe, the social
situation has been altered a great deal. From a community oriented life, we
have been dragged into a world of individual identities. Here, among all the
other changes, the most disquieting was changing gender roles. Gender is a
social construct which, like other elements of society, is malleable and
transforms easily with time. A platform was created where gender neutral
positions were created in the socio-economic frontier. It challenged the notion
of male as ‘provider’ and female as ‘fertile’. Independence and liberation of
females from their tradition gender roles has challenged the role of males as
‘provider’ in the context of mating systems. Now, the gender constructs centred
around the mating systems are interacting with the new social life defined by
individualism. The conflict between the
old and the new has manifested itself in the form of ‘power’ play between the
sexes. A threat over male’s role as provider is hovering over the society. The
basic norms of patriarchy are being challenged.
With
incipient individualism, a profound transformation in the social situation of
India can be observed. On one hand, we have conservative patriarchal cultural
norms and practices which now seem to be exploitative and rendered as primitive
and on the other hand, we have liberalization taking place, which challenges
the old mind-set. Such change is altering the mating system which has
influenced the nature of sexual relations to a large extent. Changes in the
position of power, blurring the sex-divide seems unacceptable to many,
especially males. The conflict between the old and the new has manifested
itself in the form of ‘power’ play between the sexes. A threat over male’s role
as provider is hovering over the society. The liberal movement is chiselling
away the constructs of patriarchy. Amid the process, the dynamics of mating systems
are also changing. The thought of female having her discretion regarding mate
choice is something new to Indian society.
With such changes, a struggle for power starts. In the
documentary ‘India’s daughter’, depicting the Nirbhaya rape case that occured in New Delhi 2 years ago, the views of the prime accused were a testament
to that. While describing the act, he said that the struggle put up by the
victim triggered them to commit such crime. It was not a simple act of
aggression. What triggered such extreme act of brutality and violence, was the unacceptable notion
of a strong female who refuses subjugation. The passive behaviour on the part
of females has been a norm. When such changes are seeping into the society, it
is not easy for everybody to adapt so easily.
I believe
such power conflict could be one of the reasons for increasing crimes against
women. When the position of males in the mating system is being challenged
increasingly, a violent and heinous pathway is being exercised by several
members of the society. The changes are occurring fast but the response to such
changes is slow. The confluence of changes and adaptation is necessary for
survival. Without it, the whole population could lapse into the pitfall of
extinction. These changes in the distribution of power need to be realized.
There is a strong requirement for gender sensitization and sex education, which
should incorporate a liberal view of the changes occurring in our society. We
shall thrive in future only if we adapt. We need to work together to extend the
purview of necessary liberal view across the whole society to avoid such
atrocities against women.
Here, I have tried to substantiate the
occurrence of rape from an evolutionary viewpoint, which is not necessarily
universal. I have put forth a causal explanation that might explain some
aspects of crime against women.