The men who brutally raped a young woman on a public bus last month are blaming the victim in their defence. It’s these sorts of male attitudes that promote violence against women, and the government has done nothing concrete to end them.

But there’s a solution that could turn the tide in the war on India’s women. A huge public awareness campaign with 5500 crore of government money that eradicates the sick and heinous attitudes towards women that create violence in the first place is our best shot at ending rape impunity, and we can make it happen.

We know it has worked with drunk driving and smoking around the world, now let’s come together to tell the government to make a real commitment to ending violence against women. The court case has begun and the Commissions are nearly finished reporting — we don’t have a moment to lose. Sign the petition below and then forward this email to everyone across the country:

Sign the petition

The ringleader of the woman’s rapists says she deserved it because she dared to stand up to him. This sort of grotesque attitude has largely gone unchallenged in certain public spheres, even climbing the judicial ladder — most perpetrators don’t see the inside of a courtroom, and three quarters of rape cases end with no convictions. To get to the root of the problem, we mustcombine changes to the justice system so more cases are convicted and break the back of the misogynistic attitudes that make rape justified in the first place.

5500 crore would be more than enough money to run a mass advertising campaign across the country. The ads should target male subcultures where conservative misogyny thrives, directly challenging and shifting the paradigms away from those attitudes, ideally using champions like popular sports figures that carry authority with the audience. Massively funded public education campaigns have radically shifted social behaviour on other social maladies like drunk driving and smoking, and they can impact the treatment of India’s women as well.

The money spent will more than pay for itself by reducing poverty and promoting development, since treatment and empowerment of women has been identified as one of the greatest single drivers of social and economic progress. People are taking to the streets and the pressure on the government is rising. Let’s make change unstoppable — sign the petition now!

Sign the petition

Avaaz members in India have come together to protect children from brutal labour practices and freed Indian workers trapped in foreign countries. Together we have ensured that poorer people know their rights to free medical care — now it’s time to stop the physical, mental and emotional assault on women and girls across the country.

With hope and determination,

Ricken, Iain, Jamie, Emma, Michelle, Alaphia, and the rest of the Avaaz team

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