Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Molest

When I consider cases of scantily clad women getting molested, I cannot help but be repulsed by the comments of some people. It is pretty common to hear insensitive comments about how the woman is "asking for it" in some way, and that the man would be wasting a good chance to touch a woman if such an opportunity were declined due to his common decency.

I think most would agree that if I were to leave valuables at my windowsill and someone were to steal them, it would still be no less wrong of the person to have stolen my items. In fact, it is clear that I had been foolish in leaving them out in the open, but that does not exonerate the perpetrator in any way.

The difference in judgments on these cases will emerge when people consider whom the guilt lies on. Some would insist that the victim was foolish, and should take precautions in future against such occurrences. Others would assert that the perpetrator was wrong all the way, victim's foolishness notwithstanding.

It is my belief that living in a society is in itself a leap of faith. That faith is that the people would largely abide by the laws. Of course, it is understood that the laws run contrary to human nature and temptations. However, the leap of faith requires that people adhere to it despite their urges. If the situation were turned around, and the perpetrator became the victim, I think they would not be amused if their items got stolen, or their daughters got molested...simply because of a lack of precaution taken. Of course, I would have little to say should they be consistent enough in their beliefs that even were they the victims on the flip side. I do somehow doubt that that would be the case if such a thing would really befall them.

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