…the explanation offered by the complainant that after the perpetration of the act she was tired and fell asleep, is unbecoming of an Indian woman; that is not the way our women react when they are ravished.

Believe it or not, these were the words used by the Karnataka High Court while granting bail to a man accused of rape, criminal intimidation and cheating.

So apparently, according to the court, there are rules for how one must behave after someone physically violates them. 

And they are very specific for ‘our’ women. 

Moving on, the court said that she hadn’t mentioned why she was visiting her office at 11 PM and the reason for consuming alcohol with the accused, who was also her employee. 

Nothing is mentioned by the complainant as to why she went to her office at night i.e. 11.00 PM; she has also not objected to consuming drinks with the petitioner and allowing him to stay with her till morning…

Further, the court questioned why she didn’t seek the help of the law when the accused ‘forced her for sexual favours’.

For now, the accused has been granted bail but on 6 conditions. If he fails to follow even one, the bail will stand cancelled.

He can’t leave the jurisdiction limits of the trial court where the case is being heard and has to report to police station on each month’s second and fourth Saturday.

Questioning a survivor’s integrity, asking them why they didn’t report earlier and putting the onus of the crime on them because of alcohol and staying out till late. These things have no place anywhere in the society, much less in law.