VOA慢速英语2014 AS IT IS 2014-01-14 India Ends Silence on Women's Issues 印度在妇女问题上打破沉默

 

AS IT IS 2014-01-14 India Ends Silence on Women's Issues 印度在妇女问题上打破沉默

From VOA Learning English, welcome to As It Is. I’m Steve Ember.

On our program today, we travel to India to learn about changing conditions for the nation’s millions of girls and women.  The changes came after a group of men raped² a young student in late 2012.  The victim later died.  Her death led to widespread street demonstrations³ and calls for action. 

Women’s issues were at the center of a public debate in India last year.  Indians began talking about the problem of violence against women after a deadly gang rape¹ in the capital, New Delhi.  The 23-year old victim was traveling with a friend on a bus when she was attacked by six men.  The woman later died from her injuries.

In the year following the attack, India has taken steps to strengthen laws for violence against women.  At the same time, reports of sexual wrongdoing have raised the issue of sexual misbehavior in the workplace. 

In New Delhi, six women now have the job of answering telephone calls from women in trouble.  The government set up the special hotline service after the 2012 gang rape.  More than 1,500 calls come in every day.  More than half the callers report sexual harassment⁴ or violence in the home.  About one in five calls is a “red” color code.  That means it involves a serious crime like grievous hurt or rape.

Khadijah Faruqui is a women’s rights activist⁵.  She heads the telephone hotline project.  She says sexual abuse is not new.  What is new, she says, is the end of what she calls the “conspiracy of silence.”  This means social conditions in which men do not have to worry that their abuse of women will get them in trouble.  

Until recently, she says, women have been afraid to report rape.  Rape victims often fear that a report will bring blame to the victim and her family – instead of action against the rapist. 

“The good part about my experience is that women have become very assertive⁶.  They have shed that taboo⁷, which was there, that I should not talk about being sexually abused, because that will give me a bad name.” 

Deadly attack in 2012 causes protests

Many young people took part in unplanned demonstrations across India after the 2012 gang rape.  And the strength of the protests marked an important turning point in the way the country deals with sexual abuse.

The launching of the telephone hotline provides evidence that violence against women in India has not stopped.  Reports of rapes⁸ and even gang rapes continue to come in.  Another huge concern is domestic violence, or violence within the home.  But under a new law, sentences for rapists are stronger.  And, following and spying on women are now considered crimes.   

Ranjana Kumari is a member of the National Commission for Empowerment of Women.  She says India is a conservative country where, for years, women accepted the treatment they received.  But she has observed a small change in the way people think.

The majority of Indian women live in rural areas.  Ms. Kumari says these women still face all kinds of social and legal pressure not to report rape.  But she says educated women who live in cities have grown much stronger.

“So this is the kind of beginning of change where you do see voices coming forward.  And, also, some kind of leadership has to come from middle class, educated, more confident women.  And that is what we are seeing happen now.”

In the streets of Delhi, many people confirm that rising sense of confidence among women.

As It Is is coming to you from VOA Learning English. I’m Steve Ember.

Two well-known men accused of sexual attacks on employees

In recent months, Indian media have reported on two cases of sexual harassment in the workplace.  One case was the arrest of Tarun Tejpal, an official with a leading magazine.  He was accused of sexually attacking a young female employee at a hotel in Goa.

The second case involved A. K. Ganguly, a retired¹⁰ Supreme¹¹ Court judge.  He was under investigation¹² for sexual misbehavior after an accusation¹³ by a law intern¹⁴.  He denies the accusation.

Women’s activists¹⁵ say both cases might never have become public before the 2012 gang rape.  But the activists believe the attention the two cases received was part of a new sympathy for women’s issues in India.

In the days to come, these cases will also test the new laws that were enacted¹⁶ for dealing¹⁷ with violence against women.  However, the time it takes for a case to come to trial is still a big concern.

The public reaction after the gang rape case led to judgment¹⁸ for the attackers in a court that acted in a timely way.  The men were given the death sentence.   But for thousands of other victims, the wait for justice may be painfully slow.

Women’s activist Ranjana Kumari says that in the past year, the government has not put systems in place to speed up justice in all cases.

“There is a huge amount of delay in dispensing¹⁹ justice to women victims of sexual assault.”

She criticizes what she calls “a total lack of political will” to change that --unless the justice system can be made faster and more effective.  

But sociologist²⁰ Dipankar Gupta says the demonstrations against sexual crime by young people were a hopeful sign.  And he says the changes could go beyond just women’s issues.  He says they could create what he calls a different kind of politics.

As It Is is coming to you from VOA Learning English.

And a face-lift for the Capitol Dome⁹...

 

And finally today, we tell about how the United States Capitol is getting a face-lift.

The Dome of the United States Capitol in Washington, D. C. is being repaired.  The upper levels of the building where Congress meets are in the process of two years of restoration.  Officials say the dome suffers from 1,000 cracks, water leaks, and other problems.

Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers says that, from a distance, the building looks very good.  But he says a closer look shows that age and weather have damaged places under the paint.  Mr. Ayers says that, if the dome is to last, repairs must be made. 

Well, happily, most work is being done on nights and weekends. So visitors are welcome to enjoy this historic building, as always, in the daytime.

But, you know, even with the restoration in progress, it looks pretty spectacular at night.

And, with music by Jerry Fielding from the Otto Preminger film “Advise and Consent,” much of whose action took place in the US Capitol, we conclude our program for today.

1 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

2 raped   

v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的过去式和过去分词 )；强奸

参考例句：

• A young woman was brutally raped in her own home. 一名年轻女子在自己家中惨遭强暴。 来自辞典例句
• We got stick together, or we will be having our women raped. 我们得团结一致，不然我们的妻女就会遭到蹂躏。 来自辞典例句

3 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

4 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。

5 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

6 assertive   

adj.果断的，自信的，有冲劲的

参考例句：

• She always speaks an assertive tone.她总是以果断的语气说话。
• China appears to have become more assertive in the waters off its coastline over recent years.在近些年，中国显示出对远方海洋的自信。

7 taboo   

n.禁忌，禁止接近，禁止使用；adj.禁忌的；v.禁忌，禁制，禁止

参考例句：

• The rude words are taboo in ordinary conversation.这些粗野的字眼在日常谈话中是禁忌的。
• Is there a taboo against sex before marriage in your society?在你们的社会里，婚前的性行为犯禁吗？

8 rapes   

n.芸苔( rape的名词复数 )；强奸罪；强奸案；肆意损坏v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的第三人称单数 )；强奸

参考例句：

• The man who had committed several rapes was arrested. 那个犯了多起强奸案的男人被抓起来了。 来自辞典例句
• The incidence of reported rapes rose 0.8 percent. 美国联邦调查局还发布了两份特别报告。 来自互联网

9 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

10 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

11 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

12 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

13 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

14 intern   

v.拘禁，软禁；n.实习生

参考例句：

• I worked as an intern in that firm last summer.去年夏天我在那家商行实习。
• The intern bandaged the cut as the nurse looked on.这位实习生在护士的照看下给病人包扎伤口。

15 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

17 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

18 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

19 dispensing   

v.分配( dispense的现在分词 )；施与；配（药）

参考例句：

• A dispensing optician supplies glasses, but doesn't test your eyes. 配镜师为你提供眼镜，但不检查眼睛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The firm has been dispensing ointments. 本公司配制药膏。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 sociologist   

n.研究社会学的人，社会学家

参考例句：

• His mother was a sociologist,researching socialism.他的母亲是个社会学家，研究社会主义。
• Max Weber is a great and outstanding sociologist.马克斯·韦伯是一位伟大的、杰出的社会学家。