What happens inside the house stays in the house. No cultured woman has the right to discuss her sexual relationship with her husband with anyone else. The relationship between a woman and her husband is considered to be private, so the pain which she bears behind the closed doors is not meant to come out.
Marriage is a relationship, where two individuals are engaged to stay together. Emotionally as well as physically. So, this means that man can behave with her in any manner? Does marriage give the man the right to have sex with the woman forcefully ? A woman cannot say 'No' just because she is his wife? She has to silently undergo the pain every night. She cannot complain because Indian laws donot recognize sexual assault upon a woman by her husband as rape. Marital rape is the commonest form of sexual assault in a patriarchal society like India. Millions of women are assaulted every night under the disguise of marriage. Young girls who are forced into the marriage trade are most vulnerable victims. A woman's silence is taken for granted.
In some cases, the assault is more brutal than the rapes. New bruises come up before the older ones are healed.
In this age of equality why is Indian society afraid of recognizing marital rape as a form of rape? Why is Indian wife deprived of the right to say No to her husband? How can women be protected from the men who are meant to keep them safe.
Is forming laws against marital rape a solution? Will women come out and report against the will of her husband her family? How will she prove the intercourse to be forceful? How to protect her from her husband, in laws and society while she raises her voice?
I don't have any solution to the problems stated above. I know the laws won't solve the problem. But their implementation and awareness will definitely help. Laws will be useful to teach the society that women are not just an object of pleasure but an individual. A woman's consent is necessary. Her will is important. A man cannot force her into having physical relationship with her even if he is her husband. Marriage is not an excuse for sexual assault.
Marital rape is as painful as rape. Its high time we raise our voices and save the women from the silent pain she bears every night.
