Incidents of rape in Goa are happening with alarming frequency and the level of inhumanity indulged in by the perpetrators is appalling. A driver was recently arrested for raping his mentally challenged daughter while the mother was abroad on work. The Verna police apprehended a 33-year-old man who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old schoolgirl after offering to drop her home, in another instance a restaurant manager in Old Goa was caught attempting to molest a minor.
The rape rate in Goa stands at 7.8%, higher than the national average of 4.3%. Every month sees atleast 6 cases being recorded; as per the National Crime Records Bureau, more than 66% of rape survivors in Goa are minors. Various other heinous rape and molestation cases are coming to light on a regular basis. Mostly in such cases litigation drags on for a long time and ultimately the accused is set free after serving prison time.
It is very clear that the POCSO Act is a toothless legislation, after the initial flurry of filing chargesheets and rudimentary investigations, the proceedings move along at a snail’s pace. The only sentence for rape once proved should be the death penalty, nothing less will do. All our politicians make the right noises about ‘zero terance for rape’ etc. But on ground things are different.
