Mapping `the mind of a rapist`

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: The mind of a rapist is one of the darkest realms of human sexuality. Of late, the country has witnessed a sharp rise in rape cases. In a bid to find solutions to the "cancerous menace", Dr Ajit Saxena, Senior Consultant Urologist and Andrologist (Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals), took an initiative to understand the mind of a rapist. Dr Ajit Saxena, who began the open discussion with the mention of the shocking rape-cum-murder incident of a physiotherapist intern in December last year, said hanging the culprits was not a solution to the barbaric deed. The panel comprised Ms Nafisa Ali (social activist), Prof (Dr) Aruna Broota (clinical psychologist), Prof (Dr) Abha Singh (psychologist) and Dr Neatu Narang (psychiatrist). Addressing the audience which comprised academicians, psychologists, NGO officials, school principals, activists, students, Ms Nafisa Ali highlighted how the issue is perceived by the society. `Miss India 1976` also talked about the cultural values in family system. Prof (Dr) Abha Singh, who has done extensive research in the field of psychology, pointed out the importance of the role a mother plays in nurturing a child and turning him into a good and responsible human being. She also cited an NGO`s research in stating the fact that most of the people who committed heinous crime such as rape came from the families where either mother was not respected or were broken. Lashing out at Indians for being `emotional illiterates` and reminding them of ethics the country is known for, the eminent psychologist stressed that `all`s in the mind`. Dr Singh also underlined the need to have training programmes for mothers, so that they can help in developing a mentally healthy family. Dr Neatu Narang, a psychiatrist, then apprised the audience of the types of rapists. He also cited National Crime Records Bureau data to emphasise that in most of the cases, rapists are known to the victims. Hence, it becomes really important to find out the traits of the person, who could be indulging in such a heinous crime. The stage was then taken over by the lady who needed no introduction. Prof (Dr) Aruna Broota mentioned that the cases of malfunctioning in family systems are witnessed not just in the low-income groups but also the ones counted in high-income bracket too. She emphasised how a father plays a role in carving out a good family and the need to have training for boys on how to respect women. Her session was more of an interactive one. The panellists then urged the audience to participate in the interactive session and give solutions to the problem that has shaken the society. Some pointed out the need for counselling programmes for those who think they have the traits of a rapist, etiquette classes for boys, helpline numbers for discussing sexual problems, training programmes for police to be more sensitive and swift, role of yoga in calming down anger, and many more. The public interactive session added a lot of value to the entire proceeding.