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Dalit Women And Girls
....With such dynamics driving gender bias against women in general in India, they continue to receive a lower status even though the recent decades have brought some liberties to them due to the small feminist movement in the country. The plight of a Dalit woman under such social circumstances is worse. Dalit women, who account for almost forty-eight percent of the total Dalit population, additionally suffer class and caste discrimination as well.
Fifty-one percent of Dalit women in rural areas, and fifty-six percent of urban ones live below the poverty line.9 Since most Dalit women earn a living through daily wage employment; they are also more frequently unemployed than the general population.
The employment options available to Dalit women are few. Other than working as exploited or bonded agricultural laborers, caste discrimination compels most uneducated and illiterate Dalit women into degrading work, such as, manual scavenging and manually cleaning dry latrines. Although this inhuman practice destroys the dignity of a human being, Dalit women often have no other options for livelihood.
Rape and sexual abuse of Dalit women by caste Hindus are quite common. In addition, through the ‘Devadasi’ system, though banned, thousands of Dalit girls are clandestinely ritualized into prostitution in temples every year, and after dedication, the girls eventually end up in brothels.
The everyday discrimination of Dalit women is further marked by mental, emotional and physical violence. If a Dalit woman challenges inequality, retribution swiftly follows with beating, rape, naked parading, tonsuring and.... Read the rest in the book
More In This Chapter
5. Dalit Women Face The Worst
-Thrice Wronged
- Pathetic Status Quo
- No Justice
- Most Neglected, Untapped Potential
- Importance Of Christian Role
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