Compassion – Can we have some for men?

A writ petition filed at the Lucknow bench of Allahabad HC has created ripples in Indian society. This writ filed by an IAS officer Mr. Amitabh Thakur stresses on law misuse by women and the lack of protection of men from such law misuse as the reason behind demanding men’s commission. However, there are many such reasons that exist to set up a men’s commission as well as a men’s welfare ministry in India. Here are some of the reasons we need to consider. We need to look for welfare of men because –

1. >90% if not more war casualty are men
2. Men are more prone to death at work. Men perform almost all dangerous jobs.
3. > 80% murder/homicide victims are men. Now women got clean cheat of murdering men on the allegation that he wanted to rape her. Govt. provided her a gun (named Nirbheek) to murder men too. So, this figure will increase with no justice for men.
4. In >90% divorce cases men pay alimony, in most of these cases they still lose child custody.
5. Men commit approximately double suicide compared to women of all ages and marital class.
6. Men get at least 60% longer sentence than a woman committing the same crime. There are many examples in India as well.
7. Most prominent gender bias against men is in the legal system. More than 45 legal provisions/benefits for women. Nothing for men.
8. 40% domestic violence against men (recent postgraduate study by a Delhi University student) however no provision to report the same and get justice.
9. The male fatality rate is much higher compared to women. That is why we see between 0-6 years category we have fewer women but more than 60 years category fewer men in India.
10. The average life expectancy of a female in India is 67.5 years, whereas that of a man is only 63.4 years.
11. In the last four decades, the average life expectancy of Indian male increased by 15 years and that of a woman increased by 18 years. Shows Indian men need protection now. Globally this increase has been 12.1 years and 11.1 years respectively.
12. Indian women are expected to stay healthy until 57.1 years of age whereas an average Indian man is expected to stay healthy until 54.6 years of age.
13. 80% homeless are men. However, only women homeless people have govt. grants and shelters. No govt. program for male homeless people.
14. Only men are victims of paternity fraud. They still pay for those children’s maintenance.
15. More than 80% taxpayers are men, whereas all their taxes are used to create laws against them and to make policies only for women.
16. Men pay tax on their income including the alimony or maintenance they pay to their wives. They don’t get tax benefit on the income lost in alimony. However, women get alimony but never pay taxes on that income.
17. In a family, women always marry up their status, but even when the husbands make more money, they spend less on themselves. Whereas women make less money but they make their men spend on them more. This is evident from the floor space and products available for men and women.
18. Men pay more taxes but no govt. spending on their healthcare needs. Feminists say men have stronger genes and hence they don’t require this. However, life expectancy data says average Indian man is expected to live less compared to an average Indian woman.
19. No recognition of domestic violence against men and shelter for them. Whereas women can get domestic rights under DV act and snatch property from husband even if he has earned it on his own.
20. Men get more punishment for same crime. Women criminals are very often praised or even apologized from the govt. e.g. – in a recent sex racket case involving an actress shows how the actress was let go and the man working as her agent sent to jail.
21. Courts grant child custody to mothers most of the time.
22. Ex-parte maintenance order given to favor even working women.
23. Appointment of protection officer under DVA to women. Whereas male victims don’t have any such privilege.
24. All mediation related expenses are borne by the man in divorce cases.
25. At times if the wife has to travel for a case the husband is made to bear the cost.
26. Wife gave open permission to file the same case in multiple places and all cases go on simultaneously. e.g. – we have cases where a man faced 498a in multiple courts.
27. Women not punished for false cases and using govt. machinery for their personal gains. Only some high profile cases get punished.
28. Ministry for women, national women commission, state women commission, Mahila Thana (women police station), innumerable govt. funded women NGOs existing. Nothing for men funded by govt.
29. Male genital mutilation is accepted by society but female genital mutilation is not.
30. A young boy raped by a woman will still be blamed and punished for rape and may have to pay her child support.
31. Women do not have any responsibility for their sexual acts. However, men are held responsible for everything.
32. A woman can withdraw consent anytime during a sexual act and a consensual sex can become a rape and punishment may be the death penalty.
33. Women quotas in govt. jobs, places, trains, buses, multiplexes etc. No such reservation for men. So women can enjoy both reserved and unreserved places. Article 15(3) of the constitution wanted to finish discrimination by giving women equal opportunity and NOT all opportunities.
34. Lower standards are accepted from women in many entrance tests. Women students are given grace marks in centers of excellence like IIMs and deserving male students are deprived of education.
35. A number of women-only colleges make higher education for boys distant dream and hence we see the number of women graduating from colleges is increasing. Very soon that will be higher than male students. But the social expectation of a boy/man will be the provider and maintenance payer remains the same.
36. More male student dropout at the college level.
37. India wants to build 1 crore toilets ONLY for women as if men do not need toilets.
38. Indian PM Narendra Modi gave money to his drivers for sending their daughters to school whereas it is the women who get more educational aids and govt. funding. This shows sexism by govt. and created an expectation that girls going to school should get aid, but boys should NOT.
39. Male rape victims by women are mocked and punished as rapists.
40. Men are not expected to show emotions. That makes them unable to take care of emotional/psychological issues. No help for them.
41. Victim blaming not acceptable only when men are victims of women. No one to change this mentality.
42. Gender stereotyping by the society as being violent, abusers etc whereas the expectation is a man will be the protector of the society.
43. Men’s life is given less value in the emergency situation compared to women. Ex – in Uttarakhand disaster govt. announced to rescue women first. Women got chopper service but men did not whereas ONLY men were seen at the front rescuing others.
44. Male children are often given harsher punishment by teachers. A recent case of a female teacher beating a male child cruelly did not make a national headline at all. She was not arrested, only expelled from school.
45. Boys are abused more compared to girls by their mothers.
46. More boys are sexually abused by women but that never made national headlines.
47. Boys are more vulnerable to crime by society but no care for them to prohibit that from happening.
48. More boys than girls need care and protection in institutions. ( 2007 study by WCD ministry)
49. More boys are in conflict with the law in different institutions. ( 2007 study by WCD ministry)
50. More boys are on streets compared to girls. ( 2007 study by WCD ministry)
51. Boys are abused more in any institution ( 2007 study by WCD ministry)
52. More boys are sexually abused in institutions ( 2007 study by WCD ministry)
53. More boys are exposed to dirty pictures ( 2007 study by WCD ministry)
54. Violence against men by women is more socially acceptable and sometimes matter of humor.
55. Men get tougher assignments compared to women even if they are employed in the same job.
56. Women get more leaves, flexible working hours, work from home options compared to men.
57. Men need to work longer hours but women are not.
58. Men who complain about sexually objectified are laughed at. Often their mental state is questioned.
59. Men showing or rubbing genitals (even when itching) is considered vulgar and a punishable offense. Women showing their breasts are considered empowerment.
60. Women misbehaving with male police officers are acceptable but men misbehaving with women officers (even male officers) are not.
61. Men are expected to ask women out, pay for dates and still if she rejects him. He is a loser.
62. A woman can slap a man on live TV debate (Tina Sharma on a debate) and that is not violence and the man loses his party post. A woman goes unpunished.
63. Our culture and media always consider a man as an abuser, even when he is a victim.
64. In media and TV violence against men is glorified but violence against women is considered as a heinous crime.
65. Media specifically mention women in any disaster death, whereas no special mention of men. Ex. 37 people die in flood out of which 10 were women.

A very important point to remember here that this commission or the ministry needs to be manned by noted MRAs and not by feminists posing as MRAs. There can’t be any reservation for any other gender or sexual orientation.

So, we see that India needs a commission for men to stop the long list crime and social bias against them. This commission will ensure a welfare state for men. We also need a Ministry for Men’s Welfare to draft/amend laws suitably and to bring in various govt. initiatives. Otherwise, the 51% population of India is not taken care of.

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References

1. Global expectancy of healthy life expectancy published in British Medical Journal The Lancet in December 2012.
2. Study of child abuse in India – 2007 by Ministry of Women and Child Development
3. Human Development Report by UNDP
4. http://www.realsexism.com/

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