Rape is one of the most heinous and prevalent sexual crimes in India. In 2021 alone, 31,000 rape cases were reported. These are only the reported and filed cases when we know that the real unreported count is very, very high. India has witnessed many moments of fierce protests against sexual violence. The Nirbhaya rape case was one such moment that brought the country together and even reached the folds of the global west. However, we might want to look closer into the spectrum of sexual violences. To make it easier, we can turn to Ankur Nayyar’s most recent short film, ‘Mard Ka Rape Nahi Hota’.
‘Mard Ka Rape Nahi Hota’ is an attempt at initiating a conversation around gender-neutral rape laws and recognising that men can be the victims of rape too.
Plot
The entire film is located in a police office, at the kernel of law and order, crime and punishment. We’re introduced to a man (played by Ankur Nayyar himself) stepping inside the police office to file a complaint. He hesitates in narrating the crime he’s here to get filed. After much rude pushes by the police inspector, he finally reveals that his girlfriend, who’s been cheating on him, has raped him. The police officer denies registering the complaint at the justification that “a man cannot be raped.”
The film further takes us to different perspectives, which pans out the idea that the Indian law only considers women as the victims of rape and ignores men as victims of it too. This means a man who’s been sexually assaulted has no protection from the law. Ankur Nayyar also highlights situations in which men are the victim of false rape allegations.
‘Mard Ka Rape Nahi Hota’: Ankur Nayyar Appeals For Rape Laws For Men
When Ankur’s character confesses that he’s been raped, the police officer and the surrounding constables burst into laughter. The beginning of the film itself presents the cruel idea that men aren’t seen as victims of rape. In fact, the police officer says that it is quite impossible for a man to be raped. However, according to some real cases, this isn’t quite true. In 2018, five men raped a 17-year-old boy. In 2021, a French woman accused another woman, Divya Dureja, of sexual violence. The Priya Patel case brought forth the reality that women too can be active participants in the facilitation of rape. Since Indian law only recognises rape for women, these above-mentioned cases fall out of the spectrum of rape, even for a teenage boy.
‘Mard Ka Rape Nahi Hota’, directed by Yogesh Pagare, appeals for gender-neutral laws which recognize not only women as the victims of it but also men. Moreover, Ankur Nayyar, through the short film, also demands security for people charged with fraudulent sexual crime allegations.
The Ongoing Debate
While the short film appeals for the same laws for men too, it misses out on the inclusion of the transgender community. There are no rape laws protecting the trans community which invisibilises the sexual offences committed against them. The film solely focuses on men and their victimization.
Moreover, there is a huge debate revolving around the difference between ‘rape’ and ‘sexual assault’. Many feminist groups perceive rape as an exclusive patriarchal crime in which women have been the sites of sexual violence through forced and non-consensual penetration or oral sex and the invalidation of that will put women in triple-fold danger. Many foreign states, on the other hand, use sexual assault and rape interchangeably.
Therefore, one can also wonder if Ankur’s character’s emphasis on ‘rape’ was rightful or not. He was emotionally and mentally blackmailed and threatened by her girlfriend of false rape charges, but many can comment on the loose use of ‘rape’ in such a context. It is, however, acknowledged that his confession of being raped was definitely used to highlight the stigma, shame, and disbelief attached to the idea of men as the victims of rape.
The demand to include gender neutrality in the Indian rape laws is asking for a change from ‘women’ to ‘persons’ to include all genders, who might be the victims of rape and sexual offences. Several groups and activists want a balanced set of laws that can maintain gender equality between all.
Disclaimer: This feature is not an endorsement by The Talented Indian. Viewers’ discretion is advised.
