Education
EDUCATION vs. SEX OFFENDERS: Ending the Culture of Violence Through Learning
In light of the recent reports about sex-related crimes, it’s natural to ask, “How much worse can it get?” But, “How can we make it better?” is perhaps a better question. This article explores solutions that schools, educators, society, and we as individuals can implement. Ultimately, we have a choice: either remain trapped in a vicious cycle that fosters sex offenders or teach lessons of equality, empathy, and equity to shape a safer future for our country.
Rapists are not born, they are made. They emerge when seemingly normal actions subtly elevate men above the basic principles of humanity. For example, when boys are asked to sit with girls in schools as a “punishment,” when boys are not encouraged to form healthy friendships with girls, or when girls are told to dress a certain way, concealing their individuality and their skin, these experiences serve the dual purpose of making girls feel inferior and leading boys to believe that everything wrong with society is somehow related to women. If such harmful beliefs can be taught, then lessons of empathy, respect, and equality should be even easier to instil. Proper sex education, paired with eradicating the long-standing practice of asking only girls to adapt, can help dismantle these erroneous beliefs by promoting gender equality and mutual respect.
Gender-based stereotypes that focus on what a student ‘should’ do rather than what they ‘can’ do also create an implicit obligation to follow a set path, whether towards family, profession, or society. The human mind is a pattern recogniser—we see things and assume them to be the rule. Thus, when children see their parents taking responsibility for certain tasks at home, they assume this is what happens in every household, in every place. Parents need to constantly challenge gender stereotypes to prevent their children from learning them. By dividing kitchen duties, having both parents buy essentials, both making payments, and both participating in home repairs, parents can demonstrate that duties or jobs are not assigned by gender, thereby teaching gender equality.
Sex education is also seen as a crucial solution. We’ve discussed its importance, read about its significance, and debated its benefits. Yet, we’ve failed to give it the academic and societal attention it truly deserves. With children now having unprecedented access to technology, and experiencing both the wonders and horrors of the world, addressing this issue has become even more crucial.
While efforts have been made to make sex education a mandatory course for adolescents, many states have opposed the idea, altering the course content to suit their preferences. Some schools have even gone to the extent of substituting the word “sex” with “adolescent” in the curriculum. The lack of proper sex education only exacerbates unhealthy attitudes towards sex, allowing non-consensual encounters and gender-based violence to persist. A study conducted on American students found a 56% reduction in the likelihood of sexual assault among those who received comprehensive sex education compared to those who did not. (This study, along with many others, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, highlights the benefits of sex education, including a better understanding of consent, a decrease in unwanted pregnancies and STIs, and a reduction in sexual violence and marital rape.)
We have always waited for the government, society, and the elites to recognise problems and take action, but we often fail to realise that we are the ones who shape the government, society, and elites. When we unlearn these problematic ideologies, we create a society that doesn’t victim blame, takes serious action against heinous crimes, and welcomes people into workplaces based on their talents and merit, not on the sex they were assigned at birth. Education can either build or break the future citizens of a country. When we make these changes on our own level, we shape the future law-makers, law enforcers, and law-abiding citizens. The future is indeed in our hands.
This article is authored by Sanvi Agarwal, a Law Aspirant, passionate about women rights, gender equality, and social justice