Victims in Delhi rape case are to blame, defendants' lawyer says
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Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
Manohar Lal Sharma said his clients will plead not guilty to all charges tomorrow when they make their next court appearance. His comments come as Indians have reacted with outrage to the opinions of politicians and a religious preacher who have accused westernized women of inviting sexual assaults. Sharma said the male companion of the murdered 23-year-old was "wholly responsible" for the incident as the unmarried couple should not have been on the streets at night.
"Until today I have not seen a single incident or example of rape with a respected lady," Sharma said in an interview at a cafe outside the Supreme Court in India's capital. "Even an underworld don would not like to touch a girl with respect."
Sharma's comments highlight frequently aired attitudes toward women in India. Activists say reporting of sex crimes and police investigations of rape are hindered by a tendency to blame the victim for not following the traditional, conservative social roles ascribed to women.
"This is the mentality which most Indian men are suffering from unfortunately," said Ranjana Kumari, director for the New Delhi-based Centre for Social Research. "That is the mindset that has been perpetrating this crime because they justify it indirectly, you asked for it so it is your responsibility."
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/victims-in-delhi-rape-case-are-to-blame-defendants-lawyer-says-20130110-2ch95.html#ixzz2HUfEBxMH
= new reply since forum marked as read
Patriarchy on steroids. Despicable.
God help me if RECing indicates agreement with the posted article. 
(thank you, seabeyond, for this excellent post, "the patriarchal utility of the threat of rape"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022154026
That is what a lot of people think. That if a woman doesn't follow the prescribed rules of her society she is then to be punished by getting gang raped because she deserves it.
Those upstanding men should be thanked for upholding society's mores. Thank God there's one less slut walking the streets of India. 
This young lady was coming home from attending college with her fiancee. He was also beaten within an inch of his life but is surviving. I think she fell into the 'respectable' category, what ever that is.
My hat's off to him for offering to defend these scum, after all everyone should be able to have a trial. Many solicitor-pun intended- in New Delhi refused to even take the case. But he is doing his clients no good by running off his mouth with statements of this sort.
This incident has provoked a sea change in public opinion unlike anything I have seen in a while. It is very much like a light bulb clicked on. The youth have been pressing for change but this really upset older people in 'traditional' India. Rape is bad enough but being brutally beaten to death is beyond the pale, even for 'traditional' India. Another thing that will come up in this trial is that one of the accused and one of the most brutal assailant is 17 1/2 years old. The most he can be sentenced is 3 years as 18 is the age of majority in the eyes of the law in India. There is a call for a review of those laws because of this, with a tried as an adult lowered to 16 in cases such as this. I can see this changing also.
This genie is not going back in the bottle.
