PANAJI
The investigation into a teenager’s rape case has taken a murky turn with the Women's Police Station facing criticism for sending the victim back home to answer her exams. A social worker has also come under the radar for allegedly holding back some facts of the case during the process of filing a complaint.
The survivor, who was impregnated by her father and underwent four forced abortions, claims she initially visited the Women PS where the staff gave priority to her exams over her plight.
“She was sent back. Neither did the women police take immediate action on her complaint nor assured her to book the case after she answers her exam. Dejected, she called up the police helpline through which the local police were pitched in,” lamented a senior officer.
However, a bit of misguidance over the jurisdiction created initial confusion until it was finally registered at the Old Goa PS. “The social worker could be questioned since she did not reveal all the facts of the case to the police. Nevertheless, the victim has narrated her ordeal based on which there is a clarity about the crime and the jurisdiction,” the officer said.
Meanwhile, the accused’s arrest is awaited as he faces charges under the Goa Children’s Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act besides the Indian Penal Code. The victim was a minor at the time of the crime.
But Women PS’ attitude in handling such offenses has raised a question mark. Women activist Sabina Martins said the PS is not meeting the expectations and instead reacting in a matter that is causing further trauma to victims of crime.
In two recent instances, women victims attempted suicide as their issues were allegedly ignored by the Women police. “In the first case, the victim walked out of the PS depressed and traumatized…She expected her problem would be resolved which didn’t happen. The way matters are dealt with and victims are treated like an accused, it leaves the survivors and their families distraught,” Martins lamented.
The activist was among those who after a decade-long campaign ensured setting up Women PS for Goa in the late 90s. The current instances have disappointed them. “We struggled to get the Women PS notified and subsequently get counsellors under the Central scheme with the hope this system will assist women. Now the PS is equipped with staff and the infrastructure but unfortunately, it is not providing the type of assistance we had envisaged to stop the crime. It does not meet the expectation,” she said.
She has also called for urgent action to address the issue, including the need for better communication between the police and the NGOs.
“There is no opportunity to communicate with the police. As such there is no redressal and because the situation aggravates, we seek media help to highlight these issues,” she added.
