In the recent past, Goa has witnessed an unprecedented reports of rape crimes against minors and young women. Each of these cases have received media coverage and visibility. Giving the details of who is involved, when and where it happened and adding up the numbers detailing the statistical records of the rape scene in Goa. One however has to question whether these reports actually spell out the true story.
People express disgust at the declining morals of society and concern about the safety of our young children and women. The popular assumption is that such crimes might have not been happening before. The dark reality however is far from the present available statistics. Those in the field of rescue and other helping relationships will tell you that this reality always existed. The onlydifference is that today victims and their families feel more empowered than before to raise their voices and speak up against the injustice.
Upon closer analysis one will however find that the outcome has not changed much. The questions we need to ask is what happens after the cases are registered. Do rape victims and their family receive the desired justice?
One is comforted by the fact that the law is above all and that justice will be served. The concept of rule of law states that “Be you ever so high, the law shall always be above you”, but why then do so many of the registered cases end up as acquittals. For law to be above all is true justice assessable.
an interesting report by the Everyday Goan speaks of a new truth. ‘The Additional Sessions Court, Mapusa in the month of May acquitted nine accused in six separate cases of rape registered between 2010 and 2015’.
All the acquittals happened because the victim turned hostile during cross examination and denied all allegations of rape.
The dates given for court hearings and judgments have been delayed enough for various lapses to occur. The time line of these cases are such that the gap is large enough for much to happen.
The reality of cases are shocking and the way they turn out can keep one from feeling bitter and hopeless about our system.
In one case that I was closely involved, I still regret the way the case turned out. The sad nature of the way this young girl’s life changed, is where our system and we as a society fail to deliver justice. Our cultural norms are skewed when we speak about empathy towards rape victims.
Struggling to break away from constant sexual abuse by family member this young minor girl tried hard to run away from home. Even when the case finally did get registered the victim felt more punished than the perpetrator. Her life changed overnight. She was housed in protective home away from her other life of friends and education. (In that case that was the best the state could offer). But the worst hit for her was when her own extended family, tried to put sense into her, emotionally blackmailing her to withdraw her statement against her father. After much counsel from her other relatives, the girl finally turned hostile during the examination.
NGO’s like Bailancho evoktt,Saadh Agaan, Arz and many others working in the field of rescue have been fighting for decades for real justice. Justice that would include fast track convictions and the protection of victims to gain justice. Many victims fear for their life, and the safety of their other siblings or family members. Unfortunately we believe that women who are raped have lost their purity, that their chances of marriage would be less if justice is served. Many other belong to families who would rather protect their daughter from further harm and shame than seek justice. We also belong to a society who believes that a husband cannot rape his wife, that a father cannot rape his daughter, that the daughter is in fact insolent and seeking undue attention. What will people say and worse still who will marry a daughter of a rapist and that to someone who has lost her purity.
Then there is another pressure that seems to dictate the accessibility to justice and that is political coercion. Everybody knows somebody who knows a politician who can flex muscles and money power. The girl might not have much of say in what she decides to say in court. The time gap is such that all of this and more can take place. That is why we need to speed up justice in case of rape.
It’s ironic that in Goa, a progressive state compared to the rest of India, we need to ask why we don’t have fast track courts in our state to address rape. Why a case takes two years lapse before justice is given.
For a young 8 year old, who is been violently molested, what happens to her psyche when two years later she has to speak about her ordeal all over again. To begin with she is no longer 8 years again. She has grown up maybe she wants to move on. Can she?
Reports of rape should not be merely statistics, but accounts where law is always above you.
