In one Sentence 'NO', use of mobile phones by girls doesn't cause rape because Women aren't only unsafe outside their homes, but they're also facing threats within their homes and also the mobile could be a powerful weapon for girls to guard them against such harassment,"
Meena Kumari a member of Uttar Pradesh state women commission blamed mobile phone for rape in a video where she is responding to an issue about rising rape cases within the state as she attributed the increase in crime against women to the the generation of values, including the increased use of mobile phones. She added girls should be monitored by their parents especially mothers and may be checked where they're going, with whom they're talking etc. further she said ''they mustn't be given mobile phones that talk on the phone and later run away for marriage.'' The irony of the statement is that it had been made by a member of the commission which is constituted to figure for the reason behind rape and fight for women’s rights.
Meanwhile, the UP Women's Commission has distanced itself from Kumari's statement. Anju Chaudhary, the Commission's vice president, criticized Kumari's remarks, stating that depriving females of their phones isn't an answer to sexual assault against them. Social activist and Dalit leader Rajkumar Nagrath said it's very shameful that a member of the commission formed for the welfare of women thinks so low of young women who are within the youth of their lives. Nagrath told that there's a requirement to know the teenage mind, adding that it can't be achieved by placing unnecessary restrictions on girls.
"Today, a mobile is not only a communication medium but also a really important learning tool. There is no sense keeps the girls far from this important asset that might help in building their careers," he said. He said that somebody with Meena Kumari's mindset had no place within the UPSCW and she should be removed. Social activist Deep Sharma called Meena Kumari's statement "evidence of a regressive mindset", but emphasised the necessity for moderation within the usage of mobile phones by children altogether, saying that mobile phones can easily divert their minds from studies.
Sonam, a college student studying in Agra, said that at a time when the whole world is specializing in digital connectivity and woman empowerment, the statement given by Meena Kumari seems like she wants girls to stay within the confines of their homes and not be in touch with anyone till they're married off to some stranger by their parents."This may be a very old mindset that she is trying to impose on the women of this era, who know very well what's good and what's bad for them," she said. Aarti, another collegian, said that rather than specializing in ways to safeguard women from the daily rising graph of crimes against them, a UPSCW member wants to lock them up inside their homes and remove all their liberties.
When will we stop victim blaming? When a woman or a girl is rapped why society starts pointing at her saying she was out late, she was wearing small clothes, she talked with boys and what not but why they forget that what was happened with her wasn't because she wore small clothes and stayed out late but due to the mentality of the preparatory. Few months ago Chandramukhi Devi made similar statement shaming the victim of Baduan rape case saying that the incident could have been avoided if the victim had not ventured out alone. As well as the Uttarakhand CM made a outrageous remark on ripped jeans and there are many other leaders who said boys will be boys.
The character of the ladies is questioned but hardly questioned the intention of the accused. Available data reveal that in India, on a mean 106 rapes are reported daily, out of which 40 per cent of the victims are minors. It’s even more shocking that in nearly 95 per cent of the cases, rapes are committed by none apart from the relatives and relations, or people known to the victims. Rapes are a universal occurrence; they're not restricted to any particular country, region, race, caste or class. They happens the maximum amount among the poor, rural, illiterates as among the rich, urban and also the so-called elites.
Gender disparities in India are relatively strong and pervasive and affect women’s access and use of mobile. Limited resources compounded with social norms often mean that the men of the household are the primary to urge a transportable. Many ladies also only borrow mobile phones," the report says. “Lower access levels, monitoring of usage and lower literacy levels all affect women’s ability to use mobile." Although mobile phones provide all types of digital literacy, they're primarily seen as a tool that liberates women from the shackles of men, and all womens should have mobile phones.