Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word: Crimes against women are __ of the deep rooted patriarchal systems of our society.

Introduction / Context:
This fill in the blank question tests vocabulary and collocation in a social issues context. The sentence refers to crimes against women and connects them to deep rooted patriarchal systems. The missing word must express that such crimes are outward expressions or symptoms of these underlying systems. Selecting the right word requires understanding both meaning and natural usage in formal English discussions about gender and society.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sentence: Crimes against women are __________ of the deep rooted patriarchal systems of our society.
• Options: indications, manifestations, demonstrations, explanations.
• The missing word should clearly link visible crimes to hidden social structures.
• The tone is formal and analytical, similar to that found in editorials and academic writing.

Concept / Approach:
The correct word needs to mean visible expressions or concrete outcomes of an underlying condition. Manifestations is often used to describe behaviours or events that make an abstract system visible. In this context, crimes are manifestations of patriarchy, meaning they show how deeply such attitudes and power structures are embedded in society. Indications and demonstrations are possible, but slightly weaker or less precise. Explanations would mean reasons or justifications, which is not intended here. Therefore manifestations best captures the relationship between crimes and patriarchal systems.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the core idea of the sentence: crimes are being linked to patriarchal systems as their outward result. Step 2: Check option a, indications. While this could work, indications often refers to signs that suggest something rather than full expressions of a system. Step 3: Check option b, manifestations. This word means concrete expressions, forms, or symptoms of an underlying principle, system, or feeling. Step 4: Check option c, demonstrations. This generally refers to acts of showing or public protests, and does not naturally describe crimes as results of patriarchy. Step 5: Check option d, explanations. This would mean that crimes themselves explain patriarchy, which is not accurate usage. Step 6: Decide that manifestations is the most precise and context appropriate word.

Verification / Alternative check:
Consider how similar sentences are written in editorials. For example, Certain forms of violence are manifestations of systemic inequality. Here manifestations clearly signals that the violence is an outward expression of deeper structural problems. If we insert indications, we get Crimes against women are indications of deep rooted patriarchal systems. This is possible but slightly weaker, because crimes do more than merely indicate; they embody or express patriarchal violence. Manifestations therefore carries greater intensity and accuracy, matching the critical tone of the sentence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
indications: Suggests mere hints or signals rather than full scale expressions of a system. Slightly weaker than required in this context.
demonstrations: Commonly used for protests or acts of showing support, not for describing crimes as outcomes of social structures.
explanations: Refers to reasons or justifications. Crimes are not explanations of patriarchy; they are results or expressions of it.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may choose indications because it seems closer to the idea of signs. However, high quality exam sentences often expect a term that exactly matches academic usage in sociology and gender studies. Manifestations is frequently used in such disciplines. To improve performance in similar questions, aspirants should read opinion pieces in newspapers and note how writers connect social problems to underlying structures using words like manifestation, symptom, reflection, and expression.

Final Answer:
The correct word is manifestations, so option b is correct.