EDITORIAL

Are we any better than the Indian gang-rapists?

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The shocking attack on a young female student in New Delhi should make us reflect on how poorly women are often treated in our own society

The recent public outrage after a gang rape in India has prompted media-shy Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to make a television address, in which he vowed to punish the rapists for their "monstrous" crime.

Protests in the wake of this horrific assault are currently out of control, prompting the authorities to use tear gas and water cannon against demonstrators. However, it is only because of the public outrage that the government is paying any attention to this issue, which would otherwise be ignored.

India is seen as one of the least safe places in the world for women, due to lax law enforcement. Indians are trying to make their voices heard once more, after protests on this scale took place last year.

This time around, they are sending the message to the government and other authorities that they will no longer tolerate such abuse of women. The 23-year-old victim was attacked on December 16. She was beaten, raped repeatedly for almost an hour and thrown out of a moving bus in New Delhi.

Thai women are not immune from this kind of abuse and violence. According to a survey by the Grant Thornton Consultancy, more than 27,000 received medical treatment last year as a result of sexual harassment or domestic violence. However, only 1,300 of them reported their abusers to the authorities. The fact remains that many women feel too humiliated or ashamed to seek legal action.

These victims don't report their cases also partly because they fear mistreatment by relatives or friends who might refuse to accept the truth. In some cases, women are wrongly blamed for inviting the assault - they're asked what they were wearing, for example. Such counter-accusers do not understand that nothing justifies sexual abuse or violence.

In fact, the penalties for sexual assault and domestic violence in Thailand pale in comparison to many countries. In addition, our society has no means to help victims cope with the consequences of abuse.

Victims are conditioned to silently accept abuse. These incidents are, more often than not, swept under the carpet because of the misguided belief that they bring disgrace to the family. Victims are thus discouraged from seeking justice.

Recent news about a woman who was killed and set on fire by her boyfriend in a fit of rage was compounded by the incident in which Thai parliamentarian Prasit Chaisrisa verbally harassed Rangsima Rodrassami, a female MP, during last month's censure debate. Yet even Rabiabrat Pongpanich, who claims to be a female-rights activist, treated the issue lightly, refusing to criticise Rabiabrat.

Now that Thailand has its first female prime minister, we should be able to expect that our society might adjust its attitudes when it comes to the issue of sexual assault and violence against women. Public displays of sexual harassment should be absolutely off-limits and not tolerated. This is a fundamental issue in addressing the problem of gender inequality. Education on this subject is far more important than squandering money on populist give-aways for women.

-- The Nation 2012-12-26

And life will go on. Rape has been happening for centuries as long as man has been on the planet. It is a matter that only morals will sort out not legislation. Address education in Thailand and you might have a little success with the abuse issue.

We nearly always view Thailand from a western perspective, which in my opinion is totally wrong. We consider Thai society as behind the rest of the world about women's rights (among many other things) but they see no problem with it. The Thai government likes to make claims for improvement within their society that is only meant for the outside world to hear but rings hollow. As westerners, we should forget about change in this country because Thais don't think it's broken. Enjoy your life here and don't think too much about the big picture because you can't change it. That's my philosophical statement for the new year.

Edited December 26, 201213 yr by Markaew

And life will go on. Rape has been happening for centuries as long as man has been on the planet. It is a matter that only morals will sort out not legislation. Address education in Thailand and you might have a little success with the abuse issue.

Making laws that put rapists in jail will make a difference. Morals won't change when there is no risk of punishment.

And life will go on. Rape has been happening for centuries as long as man has been on the planet. It is a matter that only morals will sort out not legislation. Address education in Thailand and you might have a little success with the abuse issue.

Making laws that put rapists in jail will make a difference. Morals won't change when there is no risk of punishment.

Regarding all crimes there is one deterrent that works best: increase the chance of getting caught and punished. People commit crimes largely because the think they will get away with it. You don't do it when you think you will get caught.

i need not even read the article to answer the hyperbole -- Yes, i am better than the rapists.

No news = create some.

-mel.

Funny that the rape of the 18 year old Dutch girl by the Evil Man from Krabi didn't even merit a mention in the article or the Minister for Tourism and Sport's comment that it wasn't a rape as far as he was concerned.

That the op-ed piece didn't mention a particular rape doesn't have relevance when the point of it is that attitudes need to change for the incidence of rape to decrease. There's no shortage of examples to cite.

Its failing to my mind was that it didn't nail down the best way to reduce crime: increase the risk of being caught, as Marco2008 notes in his post.

This report citing NYPD and London experiences in reducing the incidence of rape really hammers it down: http://tinyurl.com/bt5ywd8

Forget about changing the way people think and improve the policing.

And life will go on. Rape has been happening for centuries as long as man has been on the planet. It is a matter that only morals will sort out not legislation. Address education in Thailand and you might have a little success with the abuse issue.

Nonsense as countries get less morals (I assume you mean religion) rape becomes less common. If you are not talking religion how do you propose giving the population more morals?

And life will go on. Rape has been happening for centuries as long as man has been on the planet. It is a matter that only morals will sort out not legislation. Address education in Thailand and you might have a little success with the abuse issue.

Nonsense as countries get less morals (I assume you mean religion) rape becomes less common. If you are not talking religion how do you propose giving the population more morals?

Morality and religion are not one and the same. The golden rule has no requirement for religious views, nor does respect for others have to be religious based. Agnostics, atheists and moonbeam worshippers can all have strong morals. Either you know right from wrong or you do not.

And life will go on. Rape has been happening for centuries as long as man has been on the planet. It is a matter that only morals will sort out not legislation. Address education in Thailand and you might have a little success with the abuse issue.

Nonsense as countries get less morals (I assume you mean religion) rape becomes less common. If you are not talking religion how do you propose giving the population more morals?

Morality and religion are not one and the same. The golden rule has no requirement for religious views, nor does respect for others have to be religious based. Agnostics, atheists and moonbeam worshippers can all have strong morals. Either you know right from wrong or you do not.

My point exactly less religion less rape and abuse.

at least here, you have to buy the lady dinner, to be sure she went with you willingly , did we not read such an article not long ago here ?

India is by far the worst country I've been in when it comes to harassing women. Shopping malls, buses, trains, airport waiting lounges, bars are all happy hunting grounds for the groper and nuiscance. The police are usually oblivious and uninterested so woe betide a girl on her own. This applies to foreigners as well as Indian ladies. One Indian female friend caught a groper with a great left hook - people around, including a couple of policemen all just laughed as the scumbag skulked off cursing. Unfortunately some Indian tourists take the same values with them overseas.

Putting the guilty in Jail/Prison won't do a dam thing, but cutting their dicks off and watching them bleed to death on T.V. might give some men

something to think about.

Are we any better than the Indian gang-rapists?

Thais excel in anything they do, just count the number of hubs which are declared.

And life will go on. Rape has been happening for centuries as long as man has been on the planet. It is a matter that only morals will sort out not legislation. Address education in Thailand and you might have a little success with the abuse issue.

Nonsense as countries get less morals (I assume you mean religion) rape becomes less common. If you are not talking religion how do you propose giving the population more morals?

Morality and religion are not one and the same. The golden rule has no requirement for religious views, nor does respect for others have to be religious based. Agnostics, atheists and moonbeam worshippers can all have strong morals. Either you know right from wrong or you do not.

You don’t need to be a holy roller to gain and practice ethical and moral standards! A little education and parental guidance will provide most people with common sense and respect for life. But then again TIT the country where you can run over a cop while drunk and drugged, flee the scene, pay peanuts and get away with it while even the “press” is scared to mention the case anymore as long as you are considered “influential” tzzzz

Are we any better than the Indian gang-rapists? Btw- what is the person comming up with such a headline doing for his/her living?

Edited December 26, 201213 yr by TackyToo

And life will go on. Rape has been happening for centuries as long as man has been on the planet. It is a matter that only morals will sort out not legislation. Address education in Thailand and you might have a little success with the abuse issue.

Nonsense as countries get less morals (I assume you mean religion) rape becomes less common. If you are not talking religion how do you propose giving the population more morals?

Morality and religion are not one and the same. The golden rule has no requirement for religious views, nor does respect for others have to be religious based. Agnostics, atheists and moonbeam worshippers can all have strong morals. Either you know right from wrong or you do not.

You don’t need to be a holy roller to gain and practice ethical and moral standards! A little education and parental guidance will provide most people with common sense and respect for life. But then again TIT the country where you can run over a cop while drunk and drugged, flee the scene, pay peanuts and get away with it while even the “press” is scared to mention the case anymore as long as you are considered “influential” tzzzz

Are we any better than the Indian gang-rapists? Btw- what is the person comming up with such a headline doing for his/her living?

Do you think the Thai press puts gang rape and traffic accidents in the same category?

We nearly always view Thailand from a western perspective, which in my opinion is totally wrong. We consider Thai society as behind the rest of the world about women's rights (among many other things) but they see no problem with it. The Thai government likes to make claims for improvement within their society that is only meant for the outside world to hear but rings hollow. As westerners, we should forget about change in this country because Thais don't think it's broken. Enjoy your life here and don't think too much about the big picture because you can't change it. That's my philosophical statement for the new year.

very good point, but Thai do not seem to have a problem to adopt what they like from the Western Society. They really need to decide where they want to stand, rather than pick and chose what suits them for the moment.

Are we any better than the Indian gang-rapists?

Thais excel in anything they do, just count the number of hubs which are declared.

Hub of self flagellation.

All those uni girls in short skirts must feel confident that should they suffer any assault they will be fully protected by the law. It's money and social background that talk in Thailand, not gender.

And life will go on. Rape has been happening for centuries as long as man has been on the planet. It is a matter that only morals will sort out not legislation. Address education in Thailand and you might have a little success with the abuse issue.

Nonsense as countries get less morals (I assume you mean religion) rape becomes less common. If you are not talking religion how do you propose giving the population more morals?

Morality and religion are not one and the same. The golden rule has no requirement for religious views, nor does respect for others have to be religious based. Agnostics, atheists and moonbeam worshippers can all have strong morals. Either you know right from wrong or you do not.

My point exactly less religion less rape and abuse.

I heard they were thinking about adding an 11th Commandment at one point: THOU SHALT NOT RAPE but decided against as it would have clashed with Numbers 31:18 and you know what sticklers they are about avoiding contradictions 55

probably worse as no one is protesting in thailand

We nearly always view Thailand from a western perspective, which in my opinion is totally wrong. We consider Thai society as behind the rest of the world about women's rights (among many other things) but they see no problem with it. The Thai government likes to make claims for improvement within their society that is only meant for the outside world to hear but rings hollow. As westerners, we should forget about change in this country because Thais don't think it's broken. Enjoy your life here and don't think too much about the big picture because you can't change it. That's my philosophical statement for the new year.

BS! Do you really think that Thai women like getting raped? Ask any of the millions of Thai women who have been subject to sexual abuse, often from close relatives. There are more reasons than money that make lots of young Thai women enter relationships with foreigners who are often two or three times their age.

We nearly always view Thailand from a western perspective, which in my opinion is totally wrong. We consider Thai society as behind the rest of the world about women's rights (among many other things) but they see no problem with it. The Thai government likes to make claims for improvement within their society that is only meant for the outside world to hear but rings hollow. As westerners, we should forget about change in this country because Thais don't think it's broken. Enjoy your life here and don't think too much about the big picture because you can't change it. That's my philosophical statement for the new year.

BS! Do you really think that Thai women like getting raped? Ask any of the millions of Thai women who have been subject to sexual abuse, often from close relatives. There are more reasons than money that make lots of young Thai women enter relationships with foreigners who are often two or three times their age.

You are completely missing the point. It's not a matter if a woman wants it or not. It's the fact that with the woman's position in Thai society nobody really cares. The women care, but they have little status.

Yes..WE 'interlopers' are better than rapist gangs.

No...YOU bystanders and enablers are NO better than rapist gangs.

Millions upon millions of girls dressing like braindead whores has 'nothing' to do with it....

Nothing causes rape etc...

just like the over-abundance of soi dogs, the problem is ignored, tolerated, mumbled about and ignored some more.

CASTRATION for a rapist or stray dog is an easy first option.

but mai pen lai/rai.... its not my daughter/problem/opportunity.

let them eat rape

I heard they were thinking about adding an 11th Commandment at one point: THOU SHALT NOT RAPE but decided against as it would have clashed with Numbers 31:18 and you know what sticklers they are about avoiding contradictions 55

You are mistaken. the 11th commandment is "Thou shalt not use contraceptives" which is derived from St Paul's Epistle to the Fallopians. The Numbers text is also probably why there is no rule of abstinence from slavery and paedophililia.