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Book Discussion on Rape Law and Constructions of Sexuality on July 21 from 6.30-8.00 pm at IIC
With rape law as its central theme, this resource book explores ways in which ‘sexual wrongs’ in ancient and modern law, in both de jure and de facto ways, have been less about addressing sexual violence than it has been about enforcing notions of purity and pollution, and shame and lust. By reading seemingly disparate sexual offences together, this work traces ways in which law reproduces gender with caste, through constructing hierarchies of good and bad sexuality, rather than sexual rights and wrongs. Written accessibly, with images of archival posters, photos and illustrations, it questions whether sexual justice is possible through law – if the push for law reform is focused entirely on enlarging the scope of sexual wrongs and punishments, without either building a sex-positive culture or pushing for decriminalising a range of stigmatised sexualities.
Discussion joined by Urvashi Butalia, Founder and CEO, Zubaan in discussion with Madhu Mehra, author, feminist lawyer and Executive Director, Partners for Law in Development; Farah Naqvi, writer and activist; Rebecca Mammen John, Senior Advocate, Delhi High Court; and Shohini Ghosh, Professor, Jamia Millia Islamia University, essayist, and documentary film-maker.