The most recent events including the disturbing instance of an ice cream vendor in Telangana engaging in lewd behaviour by masturbating in his ice cream stall, bring attention to the harsh reality.
Click Here To Join Our WhatsApp Channel
This is not an isolated incident experienced by women who become targets of men overstepping boundaries, invading their personal space, and subjecting them to the distress of public indecency.
On the same day, a woman from Bengaluru put up a post on her social media, where she stated that a security personnel working at a Bengaluru metro station was touching his private parts and masturbating in the presence of a female passenger who seemed to have been standing across the metro line. Deeply distressed by the incident, the woman took to social media to recount her traumatic experience and call for accountability from the Bengaluru police.
Also Read: 78-Year Old Squid Game Actor Convicted For Sexual Misconduct
In our society, an increasingly disturbing pattern has emerged, highlighting a troubling reality faced by women: a rise in incidents where men disregard boundaries of respect and decency, indulging their unchecked sexual impulses in the most degrading and violating manner possible.
Another such incident involves a 47-year-old man masturbating on the face of a sleeping woman on a train, serving as a sombre reminder of the pressing need for societal reflection: Where are we headed as a society?
The recent appalling event on the Poorna Express, along with numerous other distressing occurrences, prompts us to wonder when men will truly recognize that women are not mere objects for their voyeuristic pleasure. In January 2024, at Gokarna Railway Station in Karnataka, a 22-year-old woman, accompanied by two male friends, fell prey to a reprehensible act. Dattatray Chavan, a 47-year-old man, allegedly masturbated on her face while she was asleep.
Then there are the usual places, where hundreds if not thousands of reports emerge of men standing in front of girls’ colleges or hostels masturbating without a worry in the world.
A student from Shillong recalled her time in a hostel in Nongthymmai when every other day a man would come and stand near the hostel gate and masturbate. “He never did go away even after several complaints,” the student said.
Another similar incident was reported a few years back in front of SRM University in Bengaluru, where a man who would come to collect the food dump would masturbate in front of the girls who were in the vicinity. Later the man was arrested.
This isn’t even the half of it. So many times we have come across the news of cab drivers, bus drivers, street vendors, and colleagues who have participated in this behaviour, making life quite a living hell for women around the world.
Public masturbation, a degrading act and emotionally scarring victims as it may be, finds itself in a legal grey area in India. It is concerning that the Indian Penal Code lacks a specific provision addressing 'public masturbation.' While many countries have robust laws against such acts, India relies on sections related to assault, criminal force, and outraging the modesty of women, such as Section 354, Section 509, and/or Section 268 IPC, to address these offences. This highlights a gap in the legal framework that requires immediate attention.
These are only a few incidents that get reported across the country. Meanwhile, there are thousands if not lakhs of cases which never get reported for either – people don’t believe or they can’t catch them in the act.
Women just simply warn other women off about people, places, and experiences so that they don’t have to come across such disgusting incidents.
Public masturbation isn't just an occasional blip but a rampant scourge that relentlessly preys on women from all walks of life. It's a despicable act that knows no bounds, targeting grandmothers and schoolchildren alike, rendering them powerless and voiceless in the face of such repulsive behaviour. And what exacerbates this nightmare is the glaring absence of clear legal directives, leaving victims stranded in a sea of uncertainty.
The toll it takes on victims is immeasurable, leaving scars that cut deep into their emotional and mental well-being. Many women are forced to alter their daily routines, steering clear of certain areas or changing their paths altogether, all in a desperate bid to avoid falling victim. But what's even more sickening is how society nonchalantly brushes off these offences, perpetuating a toxic culture where victims are not just blamed but shamed into silence, dissuaded from seeking justice.
Let's be clear: blaming victims is nothing short of a pathetic attempt to shift responsibility and avoid confronting the real issue. It's shocking to even suggest that what a woman wears could be a reason for such violations. This just makes things worse for the victim who later stops them from asking for help.
Another messed-up thing about these incidents is how bystanders just stand there like statues. Seriously, they see what's going on but act like it's none of their business. That kind of behaviour gives creeps a free pass to keep doing their nasty stuff.
But let's cut to the chase: public masturbation isn't merely about some twisted form of sexual pleasure—it's about power, pure and simple.
It's about perpetrators exerting dominance over women's bodies in the most public of spaces, feeding off a culture that normalizes such heinous acts. So, if we truly want to put an end to this madness, it's high time we take a long, hard look in the mirror and start tearing down the very structures that enable such vile behaviour. It's time for society to wake up, stand up, and say enough is enough.
(All views and opinions expressed in the article are the author's own)