Rape has become a common thing today, and almost every day we get to hear distressing news of sexual violence and rape inflicted upon women and children. It has become a serious concern nowadays, more so because of a lack of severe punishment. While some are sitting and enjoying their holidays, on the other hand, some are being tortured and subjected to abuse. There are so many cases that even go unreported and do not even reach the public eye.
According to the official report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), more than 29,000 rape cases are reported every year. But this statistic only includes the cases that get attention. There are probably thousands more cases that are dismissed and ignored by the police and authorities or suppressed by locals.
The reasons as to why rape cases aren’t filed could be due to social stigma, fear, family and external pressure and also due to the lack of faith in the judicial system of the country.
Recently, an incident was reported in the Begusarai district of Bihar, where a 30-year-old married woman, mother of three children, was raped by her neighbour when her husband, a labourer, was out for work. In her statement, she said that her neighbour took the opportunity while her husband was away, forcibly entered her household and brutally raped her. Apparently, some villagers had seen his face while he tried to escape from the house.
Scared and fear-ridden, she approached her husband once he was back from work, and they both went to lodge a police complaint. Soon, the news of this incident spread across the entire village, and ultimately it got to the village panchayat.
The response of the panchayat to her claim shocked the public beyond words. In a video that surfaced online, the woman accused the panchayat leader of humiliating her in front of the village. Instead of taking strict aaction againstthis, the panchayat leader coerced her to lick her own spit off the ground and ask for forgiveness before everyone. The woman was blamed for the crime that was committed against her.
The video drew huge attention from the general public as well as the police. Subsequently, a police probe into the case revealed the name of one of the perpetrators, whom they arrested. Further investigations are ongoing to identify the other culprits, as stated by DSP Nikhil Kumar.
DSP Nikhil Kumar further added that, as per the victim’s claims,s an FIR has been registered. Meanwhile, they are also investigating to ascertain the validity of the video.
DSP Subodh Kumr, was also present at the crime scene to investigate and interrogate the neighbours. An enquiry revealed that the woman’s in-laws lived in the neighbouring house.
The video showcased the woman squatting while holding her ears as a form of apology to the villagers. The footage also showed a man who was doing the same thing. The man is supposedly the accused.
The villagers dismissed the woman’s claims because whatever happened between her and the neighbour was consensual and that it was misinterpreted as rape. The truthfulness of the incident is yet to be judged.
Similar cases were reported in many parts of Bihar. In another case, a Muslim woman, Roshan Khatoon, was brutally attacked and tortured by a gang led by the village head’s son,n Manu Singh. The locals stated that when she asked for some water, she was given a mixture of urine and alcohol. They also said that she was fasting at that time.
She went to the village head to resolve an issue but instead was met with such cruelty. She was tied to a pole and severely beaten up until every part of her body was wounded. Thereafter, she was taken to the local hospital, where she was declared dead.
As of now, the village head’s son has been arrested and is under interrogation. Investigations are underway to unravel the real identities linked to this incident.
Rape is definitely one of the most horrific crimes committed against women. But such degrading forms of torture and humiliation are so distressing and tragic. It is so unfortunate that even today, in the 21st century, women of rural communities have to encounter such violence.
Beating up women, raping them, stripping them naked, throwing acid over them, and forcing them to drink urine have become so common, and the most tragic part is that no serious attention is paid to them. Such brutalities have become acceptable in such a manner that an entire community feels no shame in degrading a woman. Such acts of violence are treated as punishment.
At its core, the problem lies with the stagnant mindset of the people, lack of education, deep-rooted patriarchy, absence of safety mechanisms and lack of a proper judicial system, of which the offenders take advantage, thinking they can continue their wrongdoings without having to face any consequences.
References: