"Indian men understand marital rape the same way women understand the offside rule in football. It's all about the line that should not be crossed."
Comedian Daniel Fernandes accepted that the joke he cracked during a stand-up routine at the Canvas Laugh Club in Mumbai earlier this week was sexist. It got him the laughs he was looking for. Though the stereotyping of women while addressing one the most serious issues affecting them was completely unnecessary, Fernandes makes several important points about marital rape.
The refusal by the Indian government to accept marital rape as a criminal act, and saying that the concept of marital rape does not apply in the Indian context as marriage is 'sacred', had led to a spirited discussion both on and offline.
According to The Mint, in 2013, the National Crime Records Bureau reported over 1,18,000 domestic violence cases, which made up of one-third of all crimes against women -- far ahead of molestation, 70,739 and rape, 33,707.
Fernandes falls back on dark humour to put the issue of domestic violence in its correct perspective. "Just because she said 'I do', does not mean that you never have to ask again," he said.
Here's the video of Fernandes using comedy to discuss marital rape with his audience.
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