Something very interesting is trending in India on twitter- #shamemakersofterebin
Viewers raising voice against a hit drama series Tere Bin popular in both India and Pakistan now, hence the trend.
The viewers are warning the producers/director/cast of the serial against, “glorifying something as heinous as marital rape”.
The controversial promo is hinting that a character who till now was a good, supposedly raping his wife. Yes we in India never do that no matter how regressive serials are.
The drama serial about a couple who are forced into an arranged marriage. The woman refuses to consummate the marriage and the man is shown to respect it. Hero so far a powerful, man with a heart of gold.
However things started changing in the episode aired last week when the hero is angry with his wife and he closes the door saying “he will show her what a husband is about ”. Before doing that he pushes her to the bed.
The viewers are aghast that next episode might show the morally high hero, who had women swooning over him, as a violent rapist.
Yes raping your own wife is also rape. Doesn’t matter whether you do it without her consent on the first day of your marriage or after years of sleeping with her or even having had babies with her . You need consent, we are not talking about when a women who pushes her husband away as a tease but we are talking consent here.
If you force your self your wife against her wishes it’s rape. Psychologists say this rape leaves scars which can be difficult to heal as the breach of trust is immense. The respect in the relationship is trampled completely. Most women won’t raise their voices against this form of domestic violence but doesn’t mean, the hurt wasn’t there.
For movie and TV buffs like me, region, language is no barrier as long as the content is good. Creativity is fine but with it comes social responsibility. Rape cannot be justified no matter what the circumstances. A rape is rape. A moral crime of highest order.