A Twin Tragedy: Societal Failure to Fight Both Rape of Women and Suicides among Men due to Domestic Violence

Problem 1: Let’s Start With The Sexual Violence Against Women

The statistics are just annoying. A rape reported every 16 minutes—and those are just the ones brave enough to come forward! Because nothing encourages reporting like victim-blaming, societal stigma, and the prospect of years spent in a judicial system that moves at the speed of continental drift.

We’ve tried everything—well, not really, but we’ve talked about trying everything! Fast-track courts that aren’t actually fast, stricter sentencing guidelines that aren’t consistently applied, and a judicial system so backlogged it makes rush hour traffic look efficient. Is it any wonder survivors feel the system is broken? It’s almost as if trauma from the assault itself wasn’t enough; we had to add the bonus trauma of institutional apathy.

Problem 2: The Forgotten Battles of Guys

But wait! There’s more! While we’re busy failing women by not able to control and stop the acts of rape, we are simultaneously dropping the ball for men accused in domestic disputes and eventually landing them in thoughts of suicide. Our legal system has perfected the art of “guilty until proven innocent“—which would be innovative if it weren’t so devastatingly backwards.

Some accusers have discovered that domestic violence laws make excellent weapons rather than shields. Careers implode, reputations dissolve, and bank accounts evaporate before a single piece of evidence is presented. How convenient!

The mental health toll? Oh, who cares about that? Certainly not our system, which seems genuinely surprised when men leave suicide notes citing the emotional and financial devastation of fighting false accusations with no support. Shocking that people break under unbearable pressure with no outlet! Who could have possibly predicted that?

India Today Stands At The Intersection of Two Failures!

At first glance, these issues might seem unrelated; like comparing apples and oranges! But look closer! They’re practically twins: both showcase our legal system’s impressive ability to dispense injustice with remarkable consistency. Both reveal how gender prejudices—regardless of which direction they flow—can warp any hope for equity.

What’s the Judiciary Up To?

It would be so easy to just blame the courts—and we should, partially! But they’re just one dysfunctional organ in the failing body of our justice system. Police, legislators, and societal attitudes all play supporting roles in this tragedy.

For sexual violence cases, the courts sometimes show flashes of enlightenment—expanding definitions of consent and recognizing power dynamics—before immediately undercutting these advances with glacial processing times and inconsistent sentencing. It’s like watching someone take one step forward and then moonwalk backward down a very long hallway. This statement gets justified when we hear the news that

• the rapist got bail and raped again.
• Or more exclusively, the person charged with rape got parole for campaigning in elections…

For men accused of domestic violence, the judiciary response has been… well, “response” might be too strong a word. More like judicial mumbling. Calls for gender-neutral language and better scrutiny of claims remain largely theoretical concepts—like unicorns or efficient government offices.

What We Cannot See Is A Broader Societal Failure!

The judiciary’s problems are just symptoms of our collective societal disease: our addiction to oversimplified narratives. Examining human relationships in all their messy reality? Sorry, we don’t have time for that—we’re too busy reinforcing harmful stereotypes that hurt everyone.

What Can Be The Correct Road Towards An Egalitarian Future?

If we actually want to address these intertwined catastrophes, we might try something radical—like understanding how they’re connected! Legal reforms should include cultural shifts that puts emphasis on fairness, transparency, and support for all parties involved. 

The authorities need to redesign domestic violence legislation to protect anyone experiencing abuse, regardless of gender. We could build and maintain the platforms to discuss mental health,  provide legal aid, and support systems that help people navigate post-traumatic periods, whether they’re sexual assault survivors or men fighting to prove their innocence.

And the courts? They could join us in the 21st century! Speedier trials, consistent sentencing standards, and better judicial training in gender and trauma might—just might—help restore public trust. But most importantly, courts need to demonstrate that justice isn’t a luxury good available only to certain demographics, as seen in the case of Pune Porshe Murder, where a person killed two and got a bail within 15 hours of committing such a henious crime. One may say that the bail was cancelled, but will the situation be the same if the outrage among people has not been taken place??? We doubt!

At The End…

The twin crises of sexual violence against women and rising male suicides linked to domestic disputes are a scathing indictment of our legal and social status quo. Both point to the desperate need for systemic change—a judiciary that can keep pace with reality, a society that values justice over prejudice, and a legal system that protects everyone from harm.

If we fail to achieve this balance, we risk observing repeating cycles of injustice, which will eventually tarnish the trust in our institutions, and give birth to a society where no one—regardless of gender—is truly safe or heard.