Crime against women is not unique to India. But some aspects are specific to our society and ways of life. Firstly, sons may be prized possessions of Indian families, but there's also a deep ambivalence towards them. Boys are being pushed hard these days. They have privileges, but also face tremendous pressure to ‘succeed’, take over the family’s responsibility and live according to somebody else’s idea of a good, safe and secure life. The way boys are pushed into technological and professional courses is frightening. You must have heard of the Calcutta father who beat his son—a child prodigy in table tennis and already a national-level player at a young age—to death some years ago, just because he was not practising hard enough.