This is one video you really need to see.
Recently, Video Daddy, a group of independent filmmakers and artists, released a video entitled '#WorldhatesWomen'. The video has been steadily gaining traction on social media, and the message behind the video proves to be a powerful one. But in the end, what is the message trying to convey? dna reached out to Sumit Verma, who runs the company along with Garima Sharma, and asked him his views on the increasing atmosphere of crimes against women, why the video was made, and whether he believes that things will change anytime soon.
On the issue of why violence against women is so prominent today, Sumit believed that even though the crimes are rapidly increasing, so is the awareness about them. He said, "Internet democratisation has a major role to play in it. Even though the phenomenon does not cover a lot of pockets in rural India, a majority of people have access to cell phones, to online news apps and the grande social media network that is like a pulsing and throbbing web of headlines, premature revolutions and fierce opinions. There is a heightened sense of awareness. Also, thanks to social media, rape as a term is not only sensationalised, but also being sensitised. Specially post the 16 December incident that incurred a flurry of armchair activism in addition to opinion war, violence on women is being taken seriously because the mounting media blitzkrieg is affecting too many young people to a great extent who are most likely to respond aggressively and fiercely towards gender based issues because they pose a direct threat to their social biosphere."
Also Read: No Country For Women: A campaign to combat the ever increasing rape culture in India
He explained that they (Garima and him ) wanted to present the idea of female objectification and that was the reason behind the video. They wanted to paint the picture of a woman who was reduced to her bare essentials - just her body - as opposed to being 'somebody'. The used beautiful and lucid imagery juxtaposed with graphic text to express the fact that the woman is not even present during her violation. "She is almost floating away from the scene of perpetration," explains Sumit.
But the real question is whether videos and movements like this will change the atmosphere of rape in India today. Sumit seems to think so, "Change is always happening. There will always be people who work silently against gender-based violence and those who work to create awareness. With the rise in internet accessibility the true impact of people's reactions and rage is being felt. Terms like misogyny, feminism, chauvinism, women empowerment are more used and understood now, because we are reaching the zenith of online revolution. Everyday. It's ongoing. However, how much of it translates into real life is yet to be seen. For true empowerment to happen, people need to be aware of the laws and and make personal changes- in their psyche and lifestyle. Exposing them and getting them to empathise towards the horrific reality is a start - which is what we are doing as filmmakers - being evocative thing. The next step would be for them to act, which we are hoping will happen because only personal (failing which) provincial laws can make some ACT in a way that tackles harming of other people. The process is either very personal or governed by the laws of the land. Both of which need to change"
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