Modern Woman in the Clutches of Society

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“Life is not a bed of roses, there are thorns too”. “One must learn to adjust in order to be happy”. “This is life, everything is not going to happen according to you”. Women have been taught these things for ages. They are expected to adjust to every situation. Indeed, life is a continuous process of adjustment but there is a difference between adjusting and remaining silent against all the wrong one is facing.

I have loved watching daily soaps or as others would likely call it ‘typical saas-bahu drama’. I always thought they were just mere scripts being enacted by the characters on screen for entertainment. However, now as I observe the women around me it is heart-breaking to see what each one is going through. Those episodes were not just the dramatic representation of the characters in the script but also the sad reality which is not easily perceptible.

Women have always been victims of unfair practices since olden times. Though we have come a long way, certain things remain unchanged. Even today we find many cases where women are oppressed by her family, in-laws, husband, at her workplace and sometimes even strangers take advantage of her silence. The modern woman is educated, capable enough to support herself unlike the women in past. However, her plight is still the same. She is enslaved in the clutches of society.

At first, the rebellious woman in me found it very difficult to understand why the women around me do not take a stand for themselves. Why don’t they fight back? Why do they go through all the suffering silently? While pondering upon these questions I came across the harsh truth that women are in an invisible cage which is made by society. Women are forced to stay in abusive marriages because of this cage. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), nearly 38% of women in India have experienced spousal violence. The number might be more as many might have not even filed a complaint fearing backlash from family, friends, and society. Spousal violence does not include only physical abuse but also emotional or psychological abuse.

Society is the main reason why women choose to remain in abusive relationships. Society blames women who opt for a divorce. Not only do men view her as an object but other women too judge her and try to humiliate her. The “Log kya kahenge?” mentality prevents her from speaking up for herself and her parents too are bound by this thinking. So, she has no one to lean on, no one she can rely on. Moreover, she continues to stay in that relationship for her children’s’ sake, so that they have a good future.

Looking at all these women I feel that they are so strong that they can go through a lot with a smile on their face, but deep down I wish they would dare to fight for themselves and stop bending down to everyone just because they care about what others will think about them and their family. A woman sacrifices everything for her family and her children, and she deserves to be treated well. I hope someday society’s attitude towards a woman changes and she will be set free from these disguised clutches.

- Jenna Rebello

Comments

  1. Bhavika Mehta12 November 2020 at 21:12

    I must say this blog really brings out the harsh truth of our society.

    ReplyDelete

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