Sex, lies and MMS scandals

 

MMS scandals seem to have become a way of life. They are the essential spice added to the world of pornography paving way for more serious crimes and destroying innocent lives. Can we conclude that an MMS scandal is worse than rape?.

CJ: Fahim Ahmedi ,  on  www.merinews.com

Sex has become the most sellable commodity today…what’s more…the more controversial, the better. Man seems to have become a playboy at the hands of technology and women have become commodities for sale. If one was to think about chastity, it’s a long forlorn tale. The rise in camera phones has also seen the rise in mms scandals. Now what leaves us wondering is the fact if it is the Indian male who has opened up to the realm of visual sex that has ripened the cherry or is it the hunger to satisfy something that was concealed since ages?

 

The all-advanced gadgets in the hands of immature kids have resulted in the rise of these mms scandals. With their digital cameras and avante garde technology, the intervention of Bluetooth and the power to capture real life images has set the corn ablaze. India, with its virtues and values seems to have been hit with the torpedo of mms scandals right in the nose.

 

Be it a school going kid, or a father, take their mobile phones and go to gallery, you are likely to find it packed with all kinds of mms scandals. The biggest question here is why sultry sex fascinates the male mind?

 

Harsh Kumar is working in a Corporate and is of the opinion that even though the Kamasutra originated in India, people were kept from reading it openly. One does not have the freedom to express sexual feelings in our country. India might be developing at a fast pace, but people are still narrow minded and refrain from open discussions on the topic. It can be said that the first mms scandal that took us by storm was the one shot at Delhi Public School. It seemed to have hit the hilt by creating history.

 

Even before the evolution of mms scandals, people all over the country were awed by pornography, but the increase in mms popularity is unprecedented. Who suffers in the end? As usual, it is the girl. It is she who is condemned and mocked at rather than the male counterpart as her entire image is put at stake. MMSs are shot not only for commercial purposes but have become part of the regular dating scenario on a large scale.  This is because of the lack of awareness and our rights in modern India.

 

Jill Joseph, a retail professional from New Delhi says, “As far as India is concerned, it is very difficult to change the way people think. If a girl starts liking a boy, it is not taken lightly, so one cannot even imagine what the girl might have to go through if she is trapped in an mms scandal. In our country, a girl is taught to trust the one she loves. Most females end up getting shot only because they want to oblige their partners and trust them blindly.”

 

But does the whole saga end here? If a boyfriend cheats on her, it is because he does not have feelings for her in the first place. The girls are humiliated and abandoned. They hardly get any emotional support from their families and are looked upon as criminals. Lately, there have been several cases in which the girl was openly blamed and she was made a sexual exhibit. But what about the male who first plays with the emotions of the victim and then uses it for cheap publicity?

 

Anshul Kapur, student, says, “I strongly feel that its high time people in our country accept it as normal. The fact is that before mms scandals there was porn, but the girls who acted in those clips were professionals. The reach was not so wide; moreover, with the advent of cell phones, windows were opened to people who did not have access to porn. The changing dating scenario in our country is resulting in the creation of such mms clips and people are running after them as if they were hungry for a glimpse since the early man days. However, the girl should not be traumatized when she falls prey to such an act but we must empathize with her. It can happen with anyone. The guy’s image remains intact, but his ego must be brought under question.”

 

Does this mean that all mms scandals are circulated for fun or are they even sold to those seeking profit at the cost of others? And if they have become a regular thing to be sold, what are the implications on those who are involved in this business?

 

Apurv Tewari, a lawyer from Lucknow says, “There are provisions under the IPC as there are different aspects of this crime. On the whole there is no punishment for making an MMS and sending it across. To send an MMS is not a crime but sending across an obscene MMS is definitely punishable as it is a species of pornographic crime. Whenever crime happens one has to generalize it and then conjure. In our country however, the law is very prudish and lack of implementation of laws stems from the fact that most of the scandals are not reported.”

 

Harmehar Aneja, a businessman from Chandigarh says, “It is mandatory for the media to create awareness among the youth. There are laws in our country that need to be implemented. The earlier the better. Guys will always get the support from their families whereas girls will be treated with indignity.”

 

Vipula Raina, housewife opines, “The issue differs from situation to situation. Firstly, it depends in the relation shared by the couple and it is difficult to conclude who was right or wrong at random. The girl’s family is taken for a ride in our country as we are living in a male dominated society and the parents are likely to suffer from social stigma causing them to lose their emotional balance. In some cases the parents have even left the city in order to escape social disgrace, but not everyone can be that fortunate.”

 

In most of the cases, it is the girl who ends up looking like a fool. She is traumatized beyond imagination at the cost of an idea which for some is nothing more than a sexed up clipping.

 

Rahul Choudhary, a real estate owner from Uttar Pradesh says, “I see nothing wrong with the fact that the new generation wants to have fun. We know that with changing trends the youngsters are indulging in all sorts of crimes and mms scandals are one of them, but we need to start accepting the fact that if the girl objects to it in the first place, no guy can force her into getting shot. To a certain extent it is the girl’s fault who lets the guy make her mms. She should know how to protect her vanity.”

 

But what about the innocent ones who get caught unaware? They are blamed and ravaged for a no reason. For some, it is worse than rape. If rape can lead to destroying a woman’s life, so can an mms clip made for having some fun. Is it right to say that women are always wrong or is the other side of the coin more horrendous? There are mms clips featuring small children, girls who are barely three or four years old, and who is watching them…..? People who have daughters, nieces and sisters of their own! This might be a potential area giving rise to pedophiles and resulting in the increasing rate of child sexual abuse.

 

People have impressionable minds and they want to practice what they see. At the cost of innocent lives, majority of males are enjoying these clips and waiting for the arrival of new ones everyday. Isn’t it high time to educate a sex starved nation about the pros and cons of the whole desi mms masala?

 

What can a girl do when confronted with such a situation?

• Find your voice and object. Don’t trust any guy with your life and dignity.
• In a hotel room, watch out for hidden cameras.
• If you suspect anything wrong even in the least, you must run with no turning back. If your guy really loves you, he will respect your decision.
• Remember, an mms scandal is worse than rape. It can destroy your life.
• Check trial rooms for signs of hidden cameras.

As opined by lawyer Tewari, “We lack in spreading awareness and sensitivity among the people. One cannot make a law to prevent a crime. What we need today is a human face.”