Daily Vocab Capsule 30th July 2017

Targeting the girl child

Horribly shocking and shameful incidents of sexual violence against female children of young
ages as well as adolescent and teenage girls are being reported on almost a daily basis. While such
reports are quite frequent from slums of Delhi, now such incidents are being reported even from
remote villages located in the hills of Himachal Pradesh which were widely believed to be free
from this menace (a threatening quality or atmosphere) till only a few years ago.
It is believed that the number of reported cases is still only a relatively small percentage of the
actual incidents. Available statistics indicate that in a majority of cases, the culprit () was
known to the victim. While in some cases the culprit is a neighbor or other acquaintance (a person
one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend.), in several cases the culprit has been found to
be a relative or even a family member. In the process the most trusting relationships have been
violated and this is perhaps the most disturbing aspect.
Once such incidents take place, the main focus is on identifying the culprits and taking suitable
action against them. Of course this is important but providing proper emotional and medical care
to the victim is just as important as she suffers not just physical but also severe mental and
emotional harm. Many victims are from weaker sections and so it is all the more important to
ensure they get treatment and counseling.
In such incidents the focus of the authorities is more on fulfilling legal requirements than on
preventive aspects. As deep distress and trauma (a deeply distressing or disturbing experience)
are associated with such assaults, the most important aspect is to try and prevent as many of these
tragedies as possible. There is a need to examine the emerging pattern of such crimes and its causes
and then take suitable remedial (giving or intended as a remedy or cure.) action.
One factor that is responsible for this disturbing trend is the easy access to disturbing forms of
pornography. Most worrying in the present context are three types of porn - child porn, incest porn
and porn depicting violent and forced sex. In Japan in the relatively early stages of the porn boom,
a national survey was conducted in which culprits of sexual violence were asked whether while
watching porn they had wanted to do something similar.
Nearly 33 per cent offenders answered in the affirmative; in the case of juvenile (for or relating
to young people.) offenders nearly 50 per cent did so. This shows the disturbing extent to which
some persons may be instigated towards sexual violence by certain types of pornography.
The way of looking at all females may get highly sexual and old inhibitions (the action of
inhibiting a process.) or concerns for social norms or relationships of trust may be rudely pushed
away. Such high-risk attitudes will make perpetrators search for victims and girl children of
various age groups, making them vulnerable (exposed to the possibility of being attacked or
harmed, either physically or emotionally.).
The chances of this increase when many people are forced to live in one-room houses with hardly
any privacy or sanitation facilities. Secondly, at a time when sexual norms and behavior are being
changed because of easy access to pornography and other factors, hardly any efforts are being
made to check resulting problems through suitable interventions.
Even otherwise, efforts are needed for education and training for proper gender relationships. But
the need is much greater now due to fast changing perceptions of sexuality.
Due to the absence of education and training in educational institutions, the increasing exposure
to pornography and sexually promiscuous (having or characterized by many transient sexual
relationships) behavior is resulting in situations where young males increasingly use violence and
force, individually or as a group.
The absence of proper gender relations results in many youths refusing to accept a refusal from
any girl. This increases chances of various kinds of violence against girls. Infatuation is confused
with love. The girl to whom great love is declared is immediately threatened with violence if she
says no.
Thirdly there are many kinds of organised criminal activities which regularly seek to lure,
blackmail, kidnap or force girls for many kinds of forced sexual activities, ranging from
prostitution to the making of pornographic videos. There are men in criminalised and semi-
criminalised gangs, often having access to patronage by the powerful, who are looking for victims.
Thus due to a number of factors the girl children of various ages including teenagers are becoming
more vulnerable to sexual violence and abuse.
It is only by a comprehensive understanding of this distressing problem that we can move towards
taking a number of short and long-term actions that will reduce this distress (extreme anxiety,
sorrow, or pain.).
Courtesy: The Statesman (Concerning)

1. Juvenile (adjective): (For or relating to young people.) (/ )

Synonyms: Young, Teenage, Adolescent, Underage, Pubescent.
Antonyms: Old, Adult, Grown Up,
Example: The boys will be held at a juvenile facility because they are too young to be housed in
an adult jail.

2. Remedial (adjective): (Giving or intended as a remedy or cure.) (/)

Synonyms: Corrective, Curative, Alleviative, Therapeutic.
Antonyms: Harmful, Hurtful, Injurious.
Example: Remedial steps will be taken to improve the damaged highway.
Related words:
Remedy (noun) - A means of counteracting or eliminating something undesirable.
3. Trauma (noun): (A deeply distressing or disturbing experience) ()
Synonyms: Injury, Damage, Hurt, Wound, Agony, Anguish.
Antonyms: Benefit, Blessing, Comfort, Contentment.
Example: A therapist can help you cope with the pain and trauma of childhood abuse.
Related words:
Traumatic (adjective) -

4. Promiscuous (adjective): (Having or characterized by many transient relationships) (

/ )
Synonyms: Indiscriminate, Unselective, Random, Irresponsible, Thoughtless, Unthinking.
Antonyms: Careful, Good, Moral.
Example: Since I just collect stamps that I happen to like, my collection is pretty promiscuous.
Related words:
Promiscuously (adverb) -

5. Culprit (noun): A person who is responsible for a crime or other misdeed. ()

Synonyms: Guilty, Offender, Wrongdoer, Criminal, Malefactor, Lawbreaker.
Antonyms: Innocent, Guiltless.
Example: The severe drought is the culprit behind the death of the orange trees.

6. Acquaintance (noun): (A person one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend.) ()
Synonyms: Familiar, Conversancy, Contact, Associative, Relative.
Antonyms: Stranger, Unfamiliar.
Example: After I lost my job, I contacted an acquaintance of mine who worked at a great
company.

7. Menace (noun): Express a threat either by an utterance or a gesture/ a threat or danger. ()

Synonyms: Threat, Danger, Jeopardy, Hazard, Peril.
Antonyms: Safety, Protection.
Example: Once the baby learned to walk, he became a menace who pulled down every item he
could reach.
8. Vulnerable (adjective): (Exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either
physically or emotionally. ( )
Synonyms: Endangered, Unsafe, Unprotected, Ill-Protected, Unguarded, Exposed, Undefended,
Unshielded.
Antonyms: Guarded, Protected, Safe, Secure.
Example: If you don't eat properly, you may become more vulnerable to disease.
Related words:
Vulnerability(noun) -
Vulnerably(adverb) -

9. Inhibition (noun): (The action of inhibiting a process.) (/)

Synonyms: Hindrance, Hampering, Obstruction, Impediment.
Antonyms: Assistance, Clearance, Liberation, Permission, Approval.
Example: As a result of being abused as a child, Mary has an inhibition which prevents her from
being comfortable around men.
Verb forms: Inhibit, Inhibited, Inhibited.
Related words:
Inhibit (verb) - Hinder, restrain, or prevent (an action or process).
 10. Distress (noun): (Extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain.) (/)
Synonyms: Affliction, Agony, Anguish, Excruciation, Anguish, Suffering, Pain.
Antonyms: Cheer, Comfort, Contentment, Delight, Euphoria.
Example: Because the dog is in distress, it needs to be cared for by a veterinarian.
Verb forms: Distress, Distressed, Distressed.
Related words:
Distress (verb) - Cause (someone) anxiety, sorrow, or pain.

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