क्या पुरुष का भी बलात्कार होता है ? | Can a Man be raped by woman?
Last year in 2022, four women raped a man at Jalandhar.
Delhi based center of civil society found that about 18% of Indian adult men reported by coerced or forced to have sex. Of those 16% claimed a female perpetrator and 2% male perpetrator.
The incident of rape of man by woman is unreported in India because in a patriarchal society like us people do not take it seriously.
It is estimated that approximately 1 in 6 men were sexually abused as children.
Rape is thought to be a crime committed solely against women.
Men often do not report about sexual assault upon him by a woman because they are afraid that in case of reporting people will doubt their sexual orientation and label them homosexual. So, most of the time male victims try to conceal the rape on him.
It has been estimated in America that 10.5% men were raped by females.
What is rape?
In India, rape is always committed on female by male u/s 375 IPC when the sexual intercourse has been done against the will of the women, against her consent, and when consent has been obtained under threat of death or hurt or when her consent has been obtained by misrepresentation or when consent has been obtained by intoxicating her.
In India a rape will be committed when a girl is under 16 years of age and consent will be not applicable.
However, women is married to the man the act is not considered as rape whether or not she has consented. Only exception is that the wife must not be under 16 years of age or the couple is separated.
What is the law of rape on man by woman in India?
1. There is no such law for rape on adult man by woman in India
2. However, under POCSO (Prevention of Children from Sexual offences), there is a provision of gender neutrality. The irrespective of the gender whether boys or girls below 18 years, if they are sexually abused or exploited or raped, the victim can file case against the accused under POSCO act
3. In case of rape of man by woman there is no legal provision in India. At best the offender can be prosecuted u/s 374 for unlawful compulsory labour. This act punishes the offender for 1 year or with fine or with both if the accused unlawfully compels any person to labour against the will of that person.
4. The offence is cognizable, bailable, non compoundable and triable by any magistrate.
Effects upon male victim
1. The victim suffers from tension, headache, colitis, black eyes and soft tissue injury and laceration.
2. Social stigma upon male victim
3.Post traumatic stress disorder
4. Male victims fear being labelled as homosexual or bisexual.
5. Depression
6. Alcoholism and drug abuse
7. Suicidal thoughts
8. Problems in intimate relationship
9. Sense of being an inadequate man
10. Sense of lost power and confidence
11. The male victim needs extensive emotional and psychological healing after the rape by female
Conclusion
1. Like gender neutral law of POCSO, the rape law should also be made gender neutral.
2. Since, Indian society particularly in metropolitan cities is changing fast and because of the educational advancement among women, they have occupied positions of authority in different departments, public sectors and private sectors.
3. Since, large number of women have occupied high positions in society , they are in the position to dominate or govern the will of her male subordinates and so sexual abuses or exploitation or rape by her on male subordinates can not be ruled out
4. Since, most of the developed countries in the world like US and UK amended the rape laws and made it gender neutral, it is incumbent upon the Parliament in India to make rape law as gender neutral.
5. Several PILs for making rape laws gender neutral filed in the Supreme court were rejected. The judges contended that they could not amend the IPC. It is the prerogative of the parliament to amend the rape laws.
6. The myth that man can not be raped or sexually assaulted does not hold water. The idea that man should be able to defend himself against attack depends upon the different situation.
7. Any man can be sexually assaulted regardless of size, strength, appearance, age, occupation or sexual identity.
