RAGGING AND EVE TEASING - THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND - M. PIRAVI PERUMAL

Ragging & Eve Teasing - The Psychology Behind
Many psychologists believe that sex , love or fun is not the only motive that men indulge in this behaviour. Eve teasing is closely related to the patriarchal mindset of the Indian male. Men are raised to believe that they are more powerful physically and emotionally than women. They feel that they are doing nothing wrong just having some fun. Women on the other hand are made to feel vulnerable and the weaker sex.

Teachers of psychology and social scientists believe eve teasing to be a result of the frustrations suffered by a majority of youth. Disappointed by the unbecoming attitude of teachers and indifferent parents , they yearn for an outlet to vent their aggression and depression .Besides , many who do not inherit good values tend to indulge in acts of sexual harassment.

Eve teasing can be seen as a rite of passage for boys on their way to becoming men. Considering that sex is not the only motive , it would be reasonable to conclude that the psychodynamics of eve teasing are closely linked to the issue of masculinity and the masculine agenda.

At the risk of over simplifying a complex phenomenon , it would not be imprudent to say that in our country , the construct of masculinity is usually equated with patriarchy .In other words , masculinity is experienced not so much as a set of emotional or behavioural characteristics unique to the male gender , but more in terms of hierarchial domination over the feminine gender ; so that the most feminine man gets a socially dominant position over his female counterpart.

Gender segregation from childhood , lopsided parental relationships as well as the representation of man- woman relationship in literature and popular cinema , all serve to reinforce the patriarchal model of masculinity in the mind of the growing male child.

It may appear paradoxical that in a country like India where the mother is generally deified, the growing male child does not learn to respect the members of his mother's gender. But it is because of this deification that the boy finds it easy to slip into the patriarchal mode , for he does not relate to his mother as a woman, but as a helpless and martyred dependent who needs to be pitied and cared for.

The vocal emergence of feminism has also pushed the contemporary male a little on the back foot , not only the women are threatening to encroach on his male dominion, but also because he does not have any idea about how he can counter encroach on hers. So he moves squarely into the adversarial position, something he is instinctively comfortable with and , during adolescence , focuses not just on how he can express himself sexually, but also on how he can claim his patriarchal right. As part of his evolution into the patriarchal role , an arena is required in which his valour can be expressed. Organized sport and cultural activities are examples of these , but require some talent and application. Whereas standing with a group of peers at a bus stop or in a Cineplex, passing lewd remarks , gesticulating lasciviously and generally behaving obnoxiously requires mere numbers, and when the hapless girl is in no position to defend herself despite visible evidence of distress , domination gets established.

Thus, we tried to understand the psychology of an average eve teaser when he indulges himself in the heinous practice.

All this study has been done only to establish the fact further strongly that it is now high time to include eve teasing as a separate Tort so that this injustice and crime against the honour and dignity of the women can be stopped.