The Link Between Molestation and Misogyny | Sneha Narayanan

"If you criticize X in women but do not criticize X in men, then you do not have a problem with X, you have a problem with women" - Chimamanda Ngozi

Amidst a surge of recent rape cases and a disturbing rise in stories of women whose personal space was violated, and their 'no' was disregarded as if it held no weight,

It made me wonder and question how have we arrived at a point where some people believe they can touch another person without their consent?

It is a sign of how deeply we as a society have failed to teach the value of boundaries and personal agency.

In many parts of the world, a woman’s life is often mapped out for her before she has even had a chance to dream. Women are often not viewed as autonomous individuals, but rather as roles they are expected to fulfill, be it daughters, wives, mothers. Their identities are frequently reduced to serving men or family, with little recognition of their own desires or the right to make decisions about their bodies and lives. This suffocating script is reinforced by purity culture, a patriarchal society that cloaks control in the guise of virtue, and protects women by oppressing them.

For some men, this grants them the illusion of authority over women’s lives, convincing them that they are the rightful guardians of a woman’s virtue and actions. A boyfriend who dictates whom his girlfriend can speak to and moral polices her, few husbands who forbid their wife from working, a father who forces his daughter into a loveless marriage simply because "women must marry by a certain age", all in the name of "protection" or ‘we know what's good for you'.

But let’s call it what it really is—not protection, but oppression. What’s being safeguarded isn’t her freedom or happiness, but misogyny and the chains that keep her bound.

What’s even more distressing is when some women, defend the very system that oppressed them.

Feminism isn’t about hating men; it’s about rejecting a system that devalues women.

Picture a world where women walk without fear and no longer need to glance over their shoulders every minute while walking,

where their voices aren’t silenced by shame,

where their bodies are truly their own.

It’s about equality and mutual respect—a place where boundaries are clear, autonomy is celebrated, and the thought of violating someone’s consent is unthinkable .

When we fail to address these issues, boundaries become blurred, autonomy is denied, and violence against women becomes easier to justify.

As author Farida D. powerfully puts it,

"No woman has ever left a marriage because of feminism- they leave because of misogyny"

By Sneha Narayanan,
Author & Poet,
Former Asst. Professor