This was when they saw a group of hooded, masked figures, marching in a tight cluster for pack solidarity and mob courage. Above them were four Muggles, floating along atop their pack, being dragged and controlled by invisible strings. The hooded figures jeered. Then one of them flipped the woman and “her nightdress fell down to reveal voluminous drawers, she struggled to cover herself up as the crowd below her screeched and hooted with glee.”
The first time I read this passage, it made me deeply uncomfortable although aside from the indignity and the violence, I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was that made me fearful. They acted out that scene in the movie as well and again, it made me frightened. But because it was an act of war, violence and humiliation, I again thought yes, probably this is why I hate this act because it is about war.
When the viral video from Manipur surfaced with two women stripped naked and paraded by a mob of leering men, I immediately realized why that scene had always been so impactful to me even though I couldn’t explain it. I never even watched the video; I just saw a screenshot of it and I would have been happy living my whole life never having even seen that screenshot.
This was the reason: it was what it symbolized. It was about degradation. Humiliation. An act of war designed to bring shame and ignominy to an entire group of people through a symbol. And that symbol was the repository of culture – women. I have always maintained that it is unfortunate and a crack in patriarchy that women’s bodies are always seen as vessels of culture although women have little to no claims to a culture. This time too, men were killed and violent words were proclaimed. But it was women the mob chose to strip naked and force to go through such public shame as no human ever should. The whole incident was designed to humiliate Kukis as a whole; it was not about the two women who actually bore the burden. It would appear that the first Arrest told his mother that he didn’t do it for his own sake, he had done it for his community. It was probably true, and this is what frightens me so much.
Women’s bodies cannot continue to be seen as simple gratification for men and unproblematic display for identity. Even on good days, no one thinks twice about commenting on women’s bodies, even to go so far as making sexually coloured statements and “jokes”. The problem with this line of thinking is that the moment it ceases to be a “good day”, the same line of thinking turns brutal and perverted and the first call of action becomes, in one word, rape.
Many times we have noticed, especially in 2012 Nirbhaya’s case, that rape is much less about sexual attraction than it is a display of power. It is simply to “put someone in their place”. Sometimes, that is a woman. Sometimes, that is women. Sometimes, that is a community.
What agitates me so much about Manipur this time is the news that mothers were instigating their sons to rape women. What does it matter that these other women were from a community they resented? We always make calls to treat women as human hence respect them too, yes, but this time these women didn’t even seem to think about the simpler thought process: Women are women, like I am. Such blatant lack of empathy is utterly terrifying for me to wrap my head around.
Most times, we are conditioned to think in terms of Us vs. Them. We do it in varying degrees. And I know one day soon, we shall forget this lesson again. It is too much to hope that it shall never happen again. But I hope it sticks longer this time and we do not need reminders again anytime soon.
The scene from Goblet of Fire was Wizard Nazis reminding other wizards they were still around, still active and very much still capable of inflicting torture on Muggles and their supporters. They were reminding people that the war was still very much on. JKR is incredible for writing these scenes that come back to mind years after the story has been completed. The layers are so real and they remain impactful. These Calls are always about principles and basic human decency – stand up for others whenever you can whenever they need your support and help. People may not be Our Group but we have to learn to remember our humanity in the face of Societal Differences.
As Kingsley Shacklebolt said in HP & The Order of the Phoenix: (Standing up for only our section of society is just) one short step from ‘Wizards first’ to ‘Purebloods first,’ and then to ‘Death Eaters'. We’re all human, aren’t we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving.
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