Gang Rape - what drove them to it?

[Jessie Fong]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/19/india-bus-gang-rape_n_2329002.html
NEW DELHI -- The hours-long gang-rape and near-fatal beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi triggered outrage and anger across the country Wednesday as Indians demanded action from authorities who have long ignored persistent violence and harassment against women.

Meanwhile, the 23-year-old victim of the first rape lay in critical condition in the hospital with severe internal injuries, doctors said.

Police said six men raped the woman and savagely beat her and her companion with iron rods on a bus driving around the city – passing through several police checkpoints – before stripping them and dumping them on the side of the road Sunday night.


We often read of such incidents and feel outraged.  In some cases, the rapists are identified and justice handed down. But in many countries like India, such cases often go unreported.

What drove these men to it? Was it just lust?  Were they not aware of the consequences of their crime?

What do you think?

[ilikeshugden]

I think it was lust. Lust is an attachment. An attachment is a poison to the mind. I also believe that they know that the odds of them being caught are extremely low. Why? Because the women are either scared of going to the police or they are too ashamed. I really wish that less of these sorts of things happen. Gang rape is no joke. It is a really evil part of society.

[DSFriend]

There is a book which you might find interesting to read :
Men Who Rape: The Psychology of the Offender
By: A. Nicholas Groth; H. Jean Birnbaum

In this book, it does state that there are more knowledge gathered from research regarding the circumstances of rape cases and impacts on rape victims. However, not much research has been done on "men who rape" or rapists. This book focuses on the rapists. It is important to understand to prevent young children from growing up into rapists.

Few things included in this book as to why men rapes :

Psychodynamics of Rape
Anger Rape
Power Rape
Sadistic Rape
Incidence
Resistance and Deterrence
Multiple Motives Underlaying Rape

Clinical Aspects
Sexual Dysfunction
Intoxication
Symptom Choice
Diagnostic Classification


From a dharmic standpoint, is there a difference between a rapist and a murderer or a robber? All arose from a deluded mind.

[Ensapa]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/19/india-bus-gang-rape_n_2329002.html
NEW DELHI -- The hours-long gang-rape and near-fatal beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi triggered outrage and anger across the country Wednesday as Indians demanded action from authorities who have long ignored persistent violence and harassment against women.

Meanwhile, the 23-year-old victim of the first rape lay in critical condition in the hospital with severe internal injuries, doctors said.

Police said six men raped the woman and savagely beat her and her companion with iron rods on a bus driving around the city – passing through several police checkpoints – before stripping them and dumping them on the side of the road Sunday night.


We often read of such incidents and feel outraged.  In some cases, the rapists are identified and justice handed down. But in many countries like India, such cases often go unreported.

What drove these men to it? Was it just lust?  Were they not aware of the consequences of their crime?

What do you think?

Another report says that they were drunk when the incident happened. That is why alcohol is a very dangerous intoxicant and the Buddha discouraged it. It is due to being drunk that the incident happened. I really pity the girl because her intestines were damaged as well during the incident when her body was violated. When people get drunk they lose their senses and self control. This is why alcohol should be regulated by all countries.

[hope rainbow]

It is a known phenomena that many people would do things in a group that they wouldn't do alone. The group gives a sense of "protection", because even when doing un-virtuous actions, they are done in the company of others, therefore the blame (it seems) is shared and seems less heavy a burden, and so it seems, is the culpability also. This is illusory!
Within a group, to speak up and stand against something un-virtuous going on while everyone is indulging in it is a very courageous act. It is going against all, it is facing the possibility of the same torments that we witness...

I had a philosophy teacher who asked us once this very difficult question that divided us then and divides the world still today: "between the victim and the executioner, which do you choose to be?".
What is gonna be your pick?

[lotus1]

It is really sad to hear about this incident. Feel so sorry for the girl. There would be so much pain physically and mentally that this girl would need to go through.
I think the rapist is surely driven by lust and selfishness. For their moments of enjoyment, they would do such an in-human act to the girl.

I do not think they are afraid of the consequence of their crime. Male chauvinism is very common in India. Most women are often treated badly and viewed as second class than man. This causes those rapists do not afraid of the consequences as they do not think the lady will have the courage to speak out at all.

In order to solve this problem, I think it would be through education and creating awareness to increase the society level of women in India, to enforce on the law on rapists and to spread Buddhism values to the Indian so that they would not look into doing this crime any more.

[bambi]

I was speechless at one point. It reminded me incidents that happened in Indonesia which was something like this. So cruel and inhumane! It is definitely lust! It is because of the government laws that are not strict enough that made those men do whatever they did. Knowing that the government wont do anything nor impose harsh laws. In this new generation, there are castes that still practice dowry. Families who treat their daughters as burden. I so hope they will demolish this or future generations take charge and change it.
May those who suffered be well and blessed always by the 3 Jewels. 

[sonamdhargey]

It is a hideous crime. What was in the minds of these monsters are really disturbing. They never thought that their loved ones can be the victim instead. What the victims go through in the future and for the rest of their life is more painful. The tormenting torture of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and for some it is a lifetime battle and some could not live a normal life. We cannot just blame on the alcohol for being a rapist. It is irresponsible and a very stupid excuse. These rapist are driven byslefishness,  lust and power and have a very cynical mind to begin with. Without Dharma we will be degenerated to become a very selfish society. I pray the dharma will flourish in these degenerate time.

[brian]

I guess its desire went overboard. Hearing such news is hard to bear because its physically and mentally torturing to the victim. If the victim do not have a strong support from her family, she might be going to resort to kill herself which is actually more suffering for her. The rapists are perverts, more than the attachment of lust in this case as I find it hard to believe these things happens and more serious each time. People act as though they are Babarics and have no self control at all. Severely causing injuries to others and maintain no sense of human nature. I condemn such actions and i feel for the victim(s) and really the gang rapists are creative heavy bad karma for themselves through committing this negative inhumane action.

[Jessie Fong]

Latest update from  http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/23/world/asia/india-rape-protests/index.html

The rape victim's injuries were so severe she spent days in intensive care in a city hospital, battling for her life. Police said Saturday that she had recovered enough to give a statement to a magistrate from her hospital bed the night before.



Police arrest a demonstrator during a protest. Sunday's attack sparked furious protests across India, where official data show that rape cases have jumped almost 875% over the past 40 years -- from 2,487 in 1971 to 24,206 in 2011.



Students chant anti-police slogans during a protest against the Indian government's reaction to recent rape incidents in India, on Saturday, December 22, in New Delhi, India. The demonstration was prompted by wide public outrage over what police said was the gang-rape and beating of a 23-year-old woman on a moving bus in the capital last Sunday.

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The figures are alarming ... a ten-fold increase over the last 40 years.  In another report, it is stated that there is a rape case every 22 minutes.  Imagine, during the time taken for you to read through this whole thread, someone has been raped. And also, rape in India is the country's most common crime against women.

[DS Star]

The extend of the torture and sufferings suffered by the victims really shocking. We really wonder what really drives those monstrous men to inflict such pains onto another human being.

Rape is not only about lust, it also a psychological problem related to power. And in the case of gang-rape, it is more of a feeling of group acknowledgment and showing their peers how much they are belonging to their group.

I wonder what the previous karma of these rapists that prompted them to commit such crime in this lives... isn't results resemble cause?

[Benny]

This case reminds me of the story of the notorious "Bandit Queen" from India. She became an armed bandit that went about hunting down her rapist with a vengeance , until all of her rapist were killed by her. After that she became a " career " bandit that is wanted by the police.

I hope in this case we do not  to see another bandit queen arising in vengeance , as it is obvious despite the act of revenge it obviously did not prevent or deter men from committing rape in India. The only solution is for the laws of that country to protect its people , especially women.

Not only are women discriminated at birth but throughout their lives , from education to marriage and in between they are raped by men. I really hope that the current demonstration will lead to legislation , passing more laws and improving enforcement of those laws to protect the women of India. 

[Aurore]

There are also cases where woman rapes men although not as many as men rapes woman. So the issue of women are seen as equal doesn't stop someone from abusing another, women or men.

Rape by its original definition is to violently take something from someone. Rape is an act of domination and control, using sex as a tool. Rape is more commonly done by men maybe because men feels the needs to be dominant one conforming to the society's eye.

What drove them to it? Rage. Rage alters one's perception and gives people guts to do anything. In addition, intoxicants multiples an emotion which already exist at that point.

[Barzin]

I am truly disgusted at the men who would commit such crimes.  I do not think it is just lust, it has a lot to do with peer pressure and ego.  If a gang of men are in discussion in raping, most likely they will dare one another to do it.  Out of ego and of course lust, they challenge each other in committing-crime.  Come to think of it, it is a silly act that people would do.  Wonder what they actually get out of it?  Looking at a girl get hurt?  And how can you actually enjoy doing things like that?  But the victim normally has to undergo a lot of trauma and pain.

I had a friend in high school had the same experience, raped by a gang of men she was only 16.  She quited school and we never heard from her again.  It was really sad.  Back then we were taught that the lady was touched by men were not pure anymore.  Well, back in those days there is always this sex differences.  But thanks to strong women, leaders and media; ladies are very out spoken and fighting for their right and get their voices heard.  Not surprise that most of the ladies are leaders and very smart women.  But of course the backward country still suffers from crime like that, that the world really need to look into.

[Big Uncle]

Well I definitely think that men who rape do it because they want to control and degrade someone and in this case, it's a woman. They want to do that is because either they have been degraded their whole lives, been treat the same way before and have seen similar examples when they were younger in a senior like a parent or a guardian.

In societies like India where sexual harassment is commonplace and tolerated, that's when boundaries are easily pushed and very few people actually care, that's where you see that sexual crimes will keep increasing. There's little that can be done except having spreading more awareness especially amongst the lesser educated members of society in the great slums throughout India.

It is quite sad that such a spiritual society like India has degenerated in this manner. What happened to the age-old customs of old and the unspoken etiquette of respect and of spiritual enquiry and pursuit? Perhaps, someone has got to do more to educate the younger generation of the virtues of spirituality in a progressive manner that would appeal to the respective segments of society.