Sexual Violence and Sexuality Education: The Missing Link Over the last few days there seems

to be sudden explosion in talking about sexual violence and other forms of violence on women. A huge discourse is being created around what rape cultures are and how we are part of these cultures which produce and construct these very acts of violence. Sexual violence has been linked to sexist, misogynist attitudes, remarks and behaviour, and ranging from scriptural affirmations to popular songs. The rape cultures are discussed as existing within the spaces of homes, streets, offices, courts, police stations, public transport, universities and so on. This questioning of rape cultures has lead to various demands from individuals and womens groups. Among them are demands for gender sensitisation of all personnel employed and engaged by the State in its various institutions, including the police and for gender equality to be made an essential part of the school curriculum, to be drawn up in national consultation with womens movement activists in the field, the aim being to challenge misogyny, patriarchal attitudes, and hostility to womens freedom and rights. Though I do not contest these demands, I would like to add to the discussion by pointing to a blind spot which needs to be looked into when thinking about rape and sexual violence. We might be talking about gender sensitivity drives and gender equality drives within the school curriculum, but one needs to also ask about other spaces of talking about sexuality within the curriculum: within sexuality education. On this regard one needs to ask ourselves: What is the connection between the present resistance by government bodies, schools, parents and right wing parties to sexuality education and sexual violence and the production of rape cultures? What is the connection between this systematic denial of right to knowledge about our own bodies and sexual violence and rape? Why is sexuality education being resisted and banned by the State, school authorities, parents, right wing parties? Why is there a systematic denial of right to knowledge about our own bodies? Why are principals, teachers and parents so afraid of talking about sex, relationships, bodies and pleasure to children and adolescents? Why is there a systematic silencing of information about sex and sexuality when it comes to children and adolescents? How does this silencing contribute to ignorance, sexism, misogyny, gender discrimination and patriarchal attitudes present in school and college spaces? How does this sexism contribute to the formation of rape cultures?

It is time we think of sexuality education not just as a matter of reproductive health but as an effective means of countering these very rape cultures entrenched in patriarchy. It is time we see the denial of sexuality education as a means of spreading more deeply patriarchal attitudes and being intrinsically inimical to womens rights.