Problems are so much easier to solve when you understand what causes them.

Hence it’s a relief, to know that the Dharmadikari committee, instated to recommend ways to curb violence against women, has issued its fifth interim report where it has identified the cause of sexual violence: bar dancers. Ban bar dancers, and violence will reduce. Sure, these aren’t the only recommendations. But they do get some importance along with a recommendation to curb the corrupting influence of social and electronic media, as phones, SMS, email, Facebook and Twitter are channels via which women are harassed.

Isn’t it intriguing, that whenever we discuss the safety and freedom of women, we usually suggest more things to ensure that their mobility, communication and sometimes livelihood are hemmed in, rather than that looking for ways where they can be out and about and not unsafe just because they are women. Everything it seems, is to blame, except ingrained sexism and misogyny.

The film Chandni Bar (2001) by Madhur Bhandarkar highlighted the life of a bar dancer

Also, whenever we discuss the situation of women in our society someone is, one hundred per cent, going to say: “Women are worshipped as devis in India.” I’m never very sure why. Is the fact that we worship the divine in feminine form supposed to assure us that women will be safe just via invoking the Devi’s name? (Still keeping that onus firmly on women, of course.)