Is it her fault?

Brought up from a society where women are always considered low in their positions, they are always held responsible for the failure of their husbands and family members. Further, women are always held responsible for the wrongs men committed against them. Women are never right in whatever they do. Men always enjoy superiority and rights over women. We were taught to give more wages to men than to women because a woman is inferior to men. There are instances where women always take the blame for divorces and other family matters. Is it her fault?

We live in a society where women are expected to be meek and obedient to men folks. They are often forbidden to speak or appear publicly or even have a job. Worsen, they are expected to serve the men folks wherever they go. While it may seem like a duty for women to do such tasks, men folks should never forget that women are not to be treated lowly, but to be treated equally.

There are several incidences where women suffer discrimination and low positions in society, where men think that everything is women’s fault. Many women suffer harassment and abuse frequently either at home or outdoor, while many are victims of physical harassment. Women are being taken advantage of by men, just because they are physically weak. Is it her fault?

Culture and tradition have it that divorces are mainly caused by women. Women are to obey their husband in everything; whatever he says or wants to do. Women are expected to act exactly what they are commanded to do by men, and not act otherwise. If a man forces his wife to leave, the wife is held responsible for his action. Is it her fault?

With the modernization of fashion and lifestyle, women are expected to dress or to live the old style. If she is found a victim of harassment at work or anywhere, she is held responsible for the act. While it is important that our dress and lifestyle be decent and noble, it is also worth knowing that we should also behave decently in any given situation. Someone rightly said, “Don't teach women how to wear, ask your sons to respect women'. No wonder our society is full of negative thoughts against women when men are unable to respect the dignity and position of a woman wherever she goes.

Today, harassments come to the extent of digital platforms where women are being treated improperly through social media which is called “digital abuse”. This is a digital way of harassing one gender against another. While it cannot be said that women don’t harass men, it can be noted that the maximum harassment is targeted against women. Women are expected to enjoy the explicit ideas of men through social media. Unnecessary and unwanted phone calls against women have gained relevance as a way of abuse against women. Women are often forced to obey men in social media who are even unknown to them. There are incidences where men send explicit messages to women to seduce or intimidate them, which are unpleasant for women.

I was brought up in a place where there were incidences of separation between husband and wife. Each separation that was caused by a drunk husband, the wife is held responsible accusing her of naggings against the husband. While the wife could have avoided argument by not talking, the husband could have avoided drunk to have a peaceful and harmonious home. Is it her fault?

Oftentimes, the wife is held responsible for not maintaining the home properly, while the husband enjoys the bossy life at home. It is a wonder that women could manage so many things at a time, in spite of the difficulties she faces each day. While it may be true that some women may not have good skills in home maintenance, we cannot make them responsible for all the imperfect things at home. In many cases, men are also responsible for the failure of the family.

Abuse is defined as improper treatment of someone. It comes by way of disrespecting someone’s dignity and life. It is said that one-fourth of women in the world suffer abuse. The treatment that our society gives to our women is no other than abuse, which needs to be addressed. No one is perfect, neither man nor woman. If a woman falls on her part, then the man is also responsible for her failure.

While it may be true that women don’t get deserved positions of leadership in society, it can also be said that women expect men to give them, rather than to fight for what is right. Nonetheless, it is undeniable that men look down on women in many given privileges and thus creating gender disparities in society.

Women are to be respected equally as men if society is to live harmoniously. God created a woman out of man not to be under him but to be fit and suitable for him so that together life is perfect. If man was sufficient, God wouldn’t have created woman. But man is not good enough; man is imperfect; man is unfit; therefore, the woman was given to him. Based on this, instead of discriminating against women, men need to acknowledge the presence and the life of women in his life. If man was alone, he wouldn’t live his life properly. Paul’s letter to Corinthians says that since woman comes out of man, man is also born of woman, but everything comes from God (1 Cor 11:12).

It, therefore, can be said that women are not always responsible for every wrong thing; men are equally responsible. Let the abuse of one another, abuse of women or men, be stopped at any level. May men folks realize the need to understand themselves as responsible and respectful men towards women. May women be respected and cared as much as they care for men folks. Let the abuse stop! Spread love and care for one another.