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India Dishonoured: Behind a Nation's War on Women

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A look at the treatment of women in India as well as possible reasons why such treatment occurs.

27 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2013

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96 people want to read

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Sunny Hundal

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59 (42%)
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23 (16%)
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Christine.
7,240 reviews573 followers
September 20, 2015
New Review -
Still as powerful and important, two years after it was written.

Old Review- Hundal looks at the various factors that may be contributing to the poor treatment of women in India. The writing is clear and concise. The essay shows much thought and investigation, even at times traveling outside of India.
Profile Image for Anna Morgenstern.
187 reviews28 followers
July 7, 2020
I contemplated whether or not I should rate this book and then decided to do so and give it five stars. While it is indeed brief, it is a great introduction to the misogynistic society in India today and what it's like to be a woman there.
I flinched many times while listening to this as it is indeed painful. I am now feeling slightly more educated about a subject of which I was clueless and will definitely delve deeper and learn more about it.
Profile Image for Tariq Mahmood.
Author 2 books1,064 followers
January 26, 2015
This is a short but very informative book about the level of misogyny in not only India but the whole Sub continent. It makes pretty somber reading as Sunny not only makes his argument with moving individual stories but also with hard piercing statistical facts. I could not help comparing these numbers with the Pakistan where the ratio of male/female is even lower than India. But at least studies like these are trying to raise the profile of the glaringly obvious mistreatment of the weaker sex. Sunny is a crusader who is fighting to change archaic attitudes and behaviours, I salute his valiant efforts.
Profile Image for Emily Carter-Dunn.
595 reviews23 followers
Read
August 4, 2018
An excellent short piece on gender based violence and gender disparity in India.

True, it does not go into great depth, but it does provide a comprehensive overview of a prevalent issue in India and other Eastern countries.
Profile Image for Emma Dargue.
1,447 reviews54 followers
July 9, 2021
Incredible informative long form essay about how India has almost declared war on its women. This essay talks about the series of sexual assaults and abuses that first came to international attention in 2012 and 2013. To me this highlights how not a lot has changed within India's culture and how abuses are regularly happening.
Profile Image for Karen.
2,594 reviews
Want to read
December 27, 2016
* Understanding Oppression: Women's Rights (Then and Now)

India Dishonoured: Behind a nation's war on women by Sunny Hundal | A look at the treatment of women in India as well as possible reasons why such treatment occurs. #nonfiction #india #feminism #crime #essays
Profile Image for Michelle.
202 reviews
May 27, 2013
India currently has 37 million more men than women.

THAT is a scary statistic.

Another scary statistic? India and china together represent 36% of the entire world population and these two countries have phenomenal sex-ratio imbalances....The author points this out and highlights that this is going to have significant global implications. ...I'm trying to understand those implications but I can't...I'm still stuck on the number and it sends chills down my spine.

I purchased this "Kindle Single" as I wanted to learn more about Indian culture and how women are treated in India.

India is not the only country that suffers from rampant violence against women however given the increased international exposure from the violent gang rapes that took place in 2012 I was curious to understand the cultural and social issues that resulted in the "state of India" today.

The author, Sunny Hundal does an excellent job of explaining the social and economic issues which has developed this country into a "ticking timebomb".

Although this is an essay, Sunny Hundal covers a wide array of information to present the topic and leaves the reader more informed and curious to learn more.

A worthwhile read and I would argue a necessary read, especially for women!



Profile Image for Andrew Garvey.
670 reviews10 followers
September 24, 2014
A very good, very short (far too short) summary of the savagery with which Indian society treats women, this essay is stuffed with references to some sickening crimes and appalling attitudes.

Whether its female politicians advocating rape, would-be parents selectively aborting baby girls, the police laughing off allegations of sexual assault, governments completely failing to enforce their own laws, brothers who think it more honourable to kill their sister rather than let her marry someone she loves, a grotesque dowry system or a religious tradition that devalues women, something is very, very wrong in India.

Unfortunately, the author at one point tries to blame "the British invaders" for introducing Victorian values into the Indian legal system. This is of course complete gibberish but is a predictable enough detour into nonsense for a book published by the Guardian. The book's other main failing is not going far enough in condemning Hinduism and Islam today, not just their relative traditions, for their role.

But overall, well worth a read considering its well written, so cheap to buy and can be read so quickly.
Profile Image for Sorabh Sharma.
5 reviews
November 25, 2014
An interesting article albeit biased in its narrative. The writer has inaccurately laid blame to Hinduism for India's misogynistic culture; despite it being one of the more progressive and accepting religions with around half of its venerated deities belonging to the female gender! This bias continues further when nearly all the extreme illustrations given in the article allude to those crimes committed by perpetrators of a Muslim background. (Point to note: India's Muslim population is only 14%).

Had more emphasis been laid on the culture changing effects of the Mughal Invasion, or the recently surfaced Islamic Love Jihad, this article would have held its own. Instead the reader is left with a prejudicial unpolished conclusion.
Profile Image for Jamie.
383 reviews25 followers
May 3, 2015
An expertly laid out, succinct (I'm even tempted to say "comprehensive" but for how short the book is) analysis of the problems women face in India today. Hundal packs a tremendous amount of information into this tiny book, and formulates arguments most writers would require hundreds of pages to make. This was eye-opening, even shocking, and extremely informative. Most of us in the West don't know much about India, and this mini-book will raise the consciousness of every layperson who picks it up.
Profile Image for Anna.
105 reviews12 followers
November 10, 2013
Growing up in an Indian family, I was already fairly aware of some of the ingrained views against women in Indian society. However, this short read shocked me. Some horrifying statistics and stories about just how bad it can be to be a woman in India, and it may even get worse. I hope the fact that the country realises that the world is watching in light of the Delhi gang-rape will help change things for women rapidly.
Profile Image for Chaundra.
302 reviews18 followers
September 11, 2013
I saw this referenced in both the NY Times & Slate recently and downloaded it as a kindle single. Absolutely fascinating and extremely persuasive, although I don't have the background to engage with it much in a Critical fashion. I would be curious to hear additional thoughts from those that know the subject better than I.
Profile Image for Ajay.
29 reviews1 follower
June 1, 2013
Very well written and informative insight into India's views towards females. Some shocking statistics which really highlight just how serious the problem is.

Short and to the point. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Connie.
204 reviews
July 10, 2014
An important read with a lot of difficult truths but it's really far too short to offer more than a cursory overview. It gives you just enough to get you all riled up but not any more than that. I'd love to read a more in-depth, comprehensive work on this topic.
Profile Image for Chinook.
2,336 reviews19 followers
June 7, 2013
While I'm not sure I learned very much that was completely new, this was a good summary of the situation in India and a reminder of things I'd read previously in newspapers, magazines and online.
Profile Image for Theo.
262 reviews3 followers
November 13, 2013
Harrowing stuff but highly recommended. Nice to read a non-fiction book that doesn't seek to bad itself to longer than it needs either.
Profile Image for Sudha Aysola.
36 reviews17 followers
August 14, 2016
This essay has its flaws, but overall correctly exposes a grossly troubling issue on the rise in India. Worth a read to get an overview.
476 reviews8 followers
August 20, 2024
A scary essay on an issue India faces that wouldn't seem out of place in a dystopian novel. Mostly well written.
Profile Image for Hannah.
254 reviews6 followers
November 6, 2016
Scary stuff

Scary stuff :( How can this still be happening in today's day and age? Really makes you think about things.
Profile Image for Rose.
88 reviews10 followers
June 6, 2013
A short and thought provoking look behind India's gender divide.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

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