“Stop Importing Weapons of Family Destruction!”

Abstract

A critical, albeit understudied, dimension of the backlash against women's anti-violence advocacy is the rise of Indian men's rights organizations formed to lobby for changes to, and in some cases, the complete abolition of vital legal protections for women. Utilizing cyber forums, public protests, and print media, these groups disseminate narratives of women wreaking destruction on the Indian family through their alleged misuse of "gender-biased" laws. These activities are significant because they operate as transnational sites of meaning making about the realities of violence against women in India and because they conspire in a distortion of reality that jeopardizes ongoing advocacy efforts.

Sexual Violence Against Women in India: Daily Life and Coping Strategies of Young Women in Delhi

“…Thus, if women get access to education and wage labor, they should become empowered and less vulnerable to falling victim to sexual violence. However, other authors in India and elsewhere (e.g., Lodhia, 2014;Momsen, 2006;Simister & Mehta, 2010;Trivedi, 2010) have argued that if women become empowered and start to take a much larger role in society, which thereby challenges traditional gender roles, this may cause tension within the society that, in turn, results in increased sexual violence against women. In the literature, this phenomenon is called patriarchal backlash (Lodhia, 2014;Momsen, 2006;Simister & Mehta, 2010;Trivedi, 2010).…”

“…However, other authors in India and elsewhere (e.g., Lodhia, 2014;Momsen, 2006;Simister & Mehta, 2010;Trivedi, 2010) have argued that if women become empowered and start to take a much larger role in society, which thereby challenges traditional gender roles, this may cause tension within the society that, in turn, results in increased sexual violence against women. In the literature, this phenomenon is called patriarchal backlash (Lodhia, 2014;Momsen, 2006;Simister & Mehta, 2010;Trivedi, 2010). Thus, the patriarchal backlash represents an increase in sexual violence against women by men to retain traditional gender roles and to regain control (Lodhia, 2014;Simister & Mehta, 2010).…”

“…In the literature, this phenomenon is called patriarchal backlash (Lodhia, 2014;Momsen, 2006;Simister & Mehta, 2010;Trivedi, 2010). Thus, the patriarchal backlash represents an increase in sexual violence against women by men to retain traditional gender roles and to regain control (Lodhia, 2014;Simister & Mehta, 2010). In fact, Simister and Mehta (2010) observed that as Indian women have gained more liberty, the prevalence of violence against women has increased.…”

“…In fact, Simister and Mehta (2010) observed that as Indian women have gained more liberty, the prevalence of violence against women has increased. Similarly, Lodhia (2014) explained that if women in India challenged traditional gender roles, men would feel threatened and deprived, afraid of losing their control and domination over women.…”

Special Edition: Fighting Feminism – Organised Opposition to Women’s Rights; Guest Editors’ Introduction

“…2 Online version via www.crimejusticejournal.com © 2016 5(2) and child support (Boyd 2004;Mann 2005) to opposition to domestic violence services (Dragiewicz 2008(Dragiewicz , 2011(Dragiewicz , 2012a(Dragiewicz , 2012b(Dragiewicz , 2012cGirard 2009;Lodhia 2014;Mann 2003Mann , 2007Mann , 2008Menzies 2007;Rosen, Dragiewicz and Gibbs 2009), shifting the focus of their protest activities in response to local developments in law, policy, practice and public opinion. While there are variations in their foci, antifeminist men's groups and Internet forums, identifiable by acronyms such as MGTOW, 2 PUA, 3 FR 4 and #Gamergate, are united by complaints that feminism is the source of men`s personal and professional problems and a threat to civilisation.…”