Indian proverb 'If you can't prevent rape, you enjoy it,'

Tabnabs

India's top police official has apologised for saying: "If you can't prevent rape, you enjoy it," – a remark that has outraged the country.

Ranjit Sinha, chief of India's Central Bureau of Investigation, made the remark on Tuesday during a conference about illegal sports betting and the need to legalise gambling. The CBI, the country's premier investigative agency, is India's equivalent of the FBI.

Sinha said at the conference that if the state could not stop gambling, it could at least make some revenue by legalising it.

"If you cannot enforce the ban on betting, it is like saying: 'If you can't prevent rape, you enjoy it,'" he said.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/13/prevent-rape-enjoy-it-india-police-chief

Sinha later told Hindustan Times he “was just making a point, that it is very difficult to enforce a ban on betting, that you can make a law but there are already so many and it is difficult to enforce. Lotteries are already legal. So I said betting could be legalized, it can be taxed. To make this point, I just used a proverb”.

www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/if-you-can-t-stop-rape-enjoy-it-says-cbi-director-ranjit-sinha-remark-sparks-outrage/article1-1150471.aspx

What a quality guy and a very interesting insight into both his outlook and culture.

ruthloss

I'm just shaking my head here., words are superfluous.:(

Boombastic

What?


I'd probably get banned if I said what I really thought

Celticfire

I'd love to hear the answer to the question of how one is supposed to "enjoy" being gang raped and violated with iron bars till the point of death...

At least our countries have something in common by the fact that like our shower he won't be resigning from his job either.

iDave

Don't understand peoples fascination with India. Always hearing people blabber about what an amazing culture it is and visiting there is a life changing experience. Its seems like an awful backwards dump to me with overcrowded poverty ridden urban sprawls run by sexist moronic idiots such as the one quoted in the OP

wexie

What's wrong with the good old : if you can't beat them join them?

Most unfortunate choice of words, I'd be interested to know if it is indeed an actual Indian proverb or his choice of words. Either way, given the recent news coming from there neither can really be excused.

Mr. Incognito

They should sent him to a US Federal prison with no Trousers and a few bars of soap and see how he feels about "enjoying it"

Morag

I wish I could say I'm shocked but I'm not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hC0Ng_ajpY

Is a satire about how in India rape is always seen as the woman's fault.

weisses

Gives a whole new meaning/depth to the Kama sutra

Tombi!

India isn't actually bad the issue is that the news focuses on the worse places possible so people think it's all a Hellhole.

That being said... The only even basic way I think he meant it is that if you do fight back you're more likely going to be hurt more but even then I'm just... the word "enjoy" really makes it just. Ah f**k it.

I give up even trying to understand him. He's a f**ked up person for trying to give "advice" like that to rape victims.

Muise...

metaphor fail

wp_rathead

Sometimes makes you wonder how people who get to such high positions yet can be so thick and no wonder the planets bangjaxed

Tiddlypeeps

I'm really confused by what he was actually trying to get at. Is he saying that suggesting gambling be legalised because people get enjoyment out of it and will do it anyway is similar to saying that rape should be legalised because people enjoy it and will do it anyway?

No matter what he was getting at it was an idiotic thing to say, I'm still just kinda curious as to what he was actually getting at.

wandatowell

It was just the most ridiculous metaphor ever used. F*ckin idiot.

I think people are upset about India and the whole rapey rapey vibe the Country and its officials are giving off.

Wattle

iDave wrote: »

Don't understand peoples fascination with India. Always hearing people blabber about what an amazing culture it is and visiting there is a life changing experience. Its seems like an awful backwards dump to me with overcrowded poverty ridden urban sprawls run by sexist moronic idiots such as the one quoted in the OP

It is an amazing culture and a fascinating country to visit. I visited there in 2005. As a westerner you just have to be careful and on your guard. Yes there are problems but not to the extent that no tourist should visit.

Tombi!

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

I'm really confused by what he was actually trying to get at. Is he saying that suggesting gambling be legalised because people get enjoyment out of it and will do it anyway is similar to saying that rape should be legalised because people enjoy it and will do it anyway?

No matter what he was getting at it was an idiotic thing to say, I'm still just kinda curious as to what he was actually getting at.

I think it was that. Not that he was given an opinion on rape but more sort of... Well people will commit crimes anyway.

iDave

Wattle wrote: »

It is an amazing culture and a fascinating country to visit. I visited there in 2005. As a westerner you just have to be careful and on your guard. Yes there are problems but not to the extent that no tourist should visit.

So is Italy

Wattle

iDave wrote: »

So is Italy

Off you go to Italy then. You seem to be saying that no-one should ever visit India. I'm saying I did and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

keithclancy

Its a big country, not everywhere is like that.

I mean if they only advertised Limerick and Tuam

............

I'll get me coat.

Sir Gallagher

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

I'm really confused by what he was actually trying to get at. Is he saying that suggesting gambling be legalised because people get enjoyment out of it and will do it anyway is similar to saying that rape should be legalised because people enjoy it and will do it anyway?

No matter what he was getting at it was an idiotic thing to say, I'm still just kinda curious as to what he was actually getting at.

People will gamble and there's no way of stopping it, therefore, the country should accept it and legalise it so they can benefit from it.

Donkey Oaty

This is by no means unique to India. An American Republican running for governor made similar remarks back in 1990, which were forgotten about and then resurfaced.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Questions from the media prompted Republican John McCain to cancel a fundraiser at the home of a Texas oilman who once joked that women should give in while being raped.

The Texan, Republican Clayton "Claytie" Williams, made the joke during his failed 1990 campaign for governor against Democrat Ann Richards. Williams compared rape to the weather, saying, "As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it."

He also compared Richards to the cattle on his ranch, saying he would "head her and hoof her and drag her through the dirt."

(via USA Today, 6/14/2008)

the_syco

I'll keep that proverb in mind when more from Pakistan pop into India...!

bear1

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

They should sent him to a US Federal prison with no Trousers and a few bars of soap and see how he feels about "enjoying it"

I would seriously hope that this happens to him.
Fecking mong to say that...
I wonder would he have felt the same way if his wife or daughter were raped

Wossack

keithclancy wrote: »

Its a big country, not everywhere is like that.

I mean if they only advertised Limerick and Tuam

............

I'll get me coat.

ah geez, you'll have Willie O'Dea harping on now :mad:

Tiddlypeeps

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

I'm really confused by what he was actually trying to get at. Is he saying that suggesting gambling be legalised because people get enjoyment out of it and will do it anyway is similar to saying that rape should be legalised because people enjoy it and will do it anyway?

No matter what he was getting at it was an idiotic thing to say, I'm still just kinda curious as to what he was actually getting at.

Do you think all proverbs are meant to be taken literally?

kowloon

Deleted User wrote: »

Do you think all proverbs are meant to be taken literally?

Well, obviously it's not meant to be taken literally; it refers to any manufacturers of dairy products.

The Dom

Sinha is in favour of legalising gambling so it can be taxed and the people who are opposed to that (who are making millions in India) are saying it's pointless as the law could not be enforced.

His retort of that point is to say that just because there would be an issue with enforcing a betting tax law, is not a valid enough reason not to bring one in. He then went on to extrapulate the point by saying that it would be akin to saying that if you can't prevent rape you should enjoy it.

Whether it is a proverb or not I have no idea and I of course get that it's an insensitive analogy but for heaven sake, the guy has been taken totally out of context.

PizzamanIRL

Ah sure that's in India, who cares? It doesn't affect us. We'll be a bit annoyed that someone thinks like that but that's about it.

Next.

Overheal

iDave wrote: »

Don't understand peoples fascination with India. Always hearing people blabber about what an amazing culture it is and visiting there is a life changing experience. Its seems like an awful backwards dump to me with overcrowded poverty ridden urban sprawls run by sexist moronic idiots such as the one quoted in the OP

....huh. Most people on here say this *exact* same tripe about the United States.

Quirky.

Tiddlypeeps

Deleted User wrote: »

Do you think all proverbs are meant to be taken literally?

kowloon wrote: »

Well, obviously it's not meant to be taken literally; it refers to any manufacturers of dairy products.

I'm very confused

theblaqueguy

Theres nothing wrong with what he said
Just think of the saying
"Making the best of a bad situation"
I think thats what he meant

Phibsboro

The Dom wrote: »

Sinha is in favour of legalising gambling so it can be taxed and the people who are opposed to that (who are making millions in India) are saying it's pointless as the law could not be enforced.

His retort of that point is to say that just because there would be an issue with enforcing a betting tax law, is not a valid enough reason not to bring one in. He then went on to extrapulate the point by saying that it would be akin to saying that if you can't prevent rape you should enjoy it.



Whether it is a proverb or not I have no idea and I of course get that it's an insensitive analogy but for heaven sake, the guy has been taken totally out of context.

Came here to say this - this is almost in the category of the US guy who had to resign after using the word Niggardly! He is making the opposite point to the one most of his critics are suggesting. At most he is guilty of trivializing rape by making it analogous to breaking gambling tax laws - I've noticed as the day has gone on that most of the newspapers are now focusing on reactions along those lines.

mathie

theblaqueguy wrote: »

Theres nothing wrong with what he said
Just think of the saying
"Making the best of a bad situation"
I think thats what he meant

Raping the best of a bad situation.

The Dom

Phibsboro wrote: »

Came here to say this - this is almost in the category of the US guy who had to resign after using the word Niggardly! He is making the opposite point to the one most of his critics are suggesting.

Yup and the same kinda crap happened during a Microsoft Xbox game launch when a producer was playing a game on a large screen and said:

'OK, here we go, just let it happen, it will be over, soon'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y4lVtOKdZg

wrote:

At most he is guilty of trivializing rape by making it analogous to breaking gambling tax laws - I've noticed as the day has gone on that most of the newspapers are now focusing on reactions along those lines.

Absolutely and when the Daily Mail exaggerates meaning, tone and removes context (which they often do) they get vilified (and rightfully so) but if the Guardian does it, well then that's much different and what they are really doing is uncovering misogynists and racists for the good of the people.

It is truly laughable double standards.


Basically what has occurred here is the guy pretty much said:

'That would be a stupid thing to say, almost as stupid as saying that rape is inevitable and so you may as well enjoy it'.

BUT, what people heard him say was:

'That would be a stupid thing to say, almost as stupid as saying that rape is inevitable and so you may as well enjoy it'.