From: usubrama@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Uma M Subramanian)
Subject: Re: More About India/ Whither Patriotism
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 01:13:04 GMT

In article <1992Oct14.215156.9699@news2.cis.umn.edu> prabhak@giga.cs.umn.edu (Satya Prabhakar) writes:
>(Uma M Subramanian) writes:
>>
>>Just to add to what Susan and Aruna have already said:
>>
>>First, I don't think I (or the other women posters who said US is
>>better than India) denied the existence of sexism or harassment in the
>>US. I didn't say Indian woen face *no* unwanted attntion on the roads
>>either. What I *did* say was that there is no comparison between the two
>>countries either in the degree or the commonness of the problem of
>>sexual harassment.
>>
>>Having said that, let me say that I've had white American women (and
>>others) for roommates, very close friends, colleagues and I've had
>>a chance to observe first hand the reactions of men towards these
>>women in various situations -- in cafes/bars/restaurants, on the road,
>>friends, I've discussed the issue of sexual harassment. And I often
>>Not once have I heard of public sexual assaults/harassment as something
>>that a woman has to face in her *everyday* life. Yes, some men
>
>Quite true! And I think all of us, barring a few intransigent gentlemen,
>are agreed that women get treated worse in India than in US. 
>
>However, there ought to be some explanation for this behavior disparity.
>There are, IMHO, two reasons for this behavior: traditional male
>domination and puritanical attitudes about sex. 
>
>Let us look at the situation from the viewpoint of the harasser. he is
>a teenager whose sexual desires have been forcibly suppressed by the
^^^^^^^^^^^
>society. 

Just wanted to say that the profile of a typical harasser has no
fixed age specifications. (Perhaps a more accurate thing to say is
that there is no 'typical' harasser.) From what I've seen there have
been more men above the age level you guessed all the way upto the
higher bracket of "middle-aged" than teenagers.

Once it was a 'swaamiji' or 'saamiyaar' in kaavi dhoti, angavastram
vibhuti, rudraksha and the works.

>actions irresistible when he finds a girl next to him in a crowded
                                                            ^^^^^^^
>bus or a train, his finer urges of respect for a fellow human being
>notwithstanding. Also, he is physically stronger to contain any
>resistance.
>

These men don't always wait for it to get crowded.

>This problem is not so severe in US because boys here have a more
>egalitarian attitudes when it comes to gender and, further, they
>are 'sexually satisfied' as premarital sex is not a taboo. Why would
>then an American teenager want to ogle and tease other girls, one
>may argue, when he gets the 'real thing.'
>
>I should make it clear that I am not trying to justify one behavior
>or the other, but just trying, in the pursuit of truth :-), the
>reasons why Indian men are as obnoxious as they are! In summary,
>their behavior is explainable, although not justifiable.

You mentioned two factors: male domination and puritanical attitudes
towards sex. I think it's mainly the former. The latter does contribute
to many other social disorders, (and to some extent to the problem
of sexual assaults too), but in the absence of the strong hold sexist
beliefs/attitudes have on the society, this problem won't be as severe.

I do agree, however, that liberal attitudes towards sex correlates
with some degree of respect for women as individuals.

>
>Any takers?
>
>Satya Prabhakar 


Uma Subramanian
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian