Young women, right before getting married, are taught extensively about their ‘wifely’ duties which range from cooking to cleaning and most importantly, never saying ‘no’ to their pati, parmeshwar. 

And this is how women learn that they don’t really have a say in marriage. Men are also taught that a wife never says no, whether it is for a cup of tea or a night of sex. 

And this is how the cycle of marital rape begins. The wife who goes through this is scarred for life and yet, she can never say no or raise her voice because that doesn’t fall under the purview of her wifely duties.

This slam poem by Simar Singh is a true reflection of how things work. He puts into words the pain of all those women who go through marital rape, time and again, without saying anything at all.

The husbands ‘no’ carries more value than the wife’s but it’s high time we change this power equation.