The rape of a five-year-old girl in New Delhi, a city that is acquiring the notorious reputation for rape, has once again underlined that children in India are not safe anywhere. Each time a horrific incident of child abuse comes to light, we, citizens of India, stand aghast in horror and helplessness. Rape of children is one of the most heinous crimes for which there should be no reprieve. It is indeed very regrettable that sexual offences against children are on the rise and more painful to note the apathy and irresponsibility exhibited by the police. This fresh incident of child rape has once again raised a critical question as to what is the level of security of children in our country. Though The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 has been made in this regard, it seems to serve as paper tiger only. It sounds hypocritical that on one hand we project child rights in society and on the other hand brazen acts of brutality have been coming to light more often than before.
This incident has forced us to sit up and spare a thought for what ails our society. As ever-increasing indulgences in liquor, fashion and sex across the board and lack of education and awareness are the reasons for these evils, the government, the police and the administration need to take strict action at their respective levels by censoring steamy scenes on TV and films which can be a source of provocation for adults and teenagers to commit sexual crimes. Since 2009, instances of child abuse have more than doubled. One in three rape victims happens to be a child, says a UNICEF report. While the fear of social stigma deters parents from reporting the crime, the low conviction rates further discourage the victims from coming out in the open. The lack of effective implementation of the Child Protection Act 2012 is a serious lacuna. Addressing child sexual abuse or rape is a challenge that has to be met with sensitivity and alacrity. Sexual offences against children should be brought to light shedding the social stigma and punishment to the offenders must be ensured. The children should also be sensitized and alerted about the dangers that lurk around them through appropriate inputs and education.
For your reading: The Hindu Report dated 20-04-2013
Delhi outrage over child rape
Angry protests spilled onto the streets of the Capital on Friday over the alleged insensitivity and inaction of the Delhi Police in handling the rape of a five-year-old girl, whose condition continues to be critical at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences here.
After the girl was abducted, she was brutalised, subjected to unnatural sex and kept in confinement for over two days at Gandhi Nagar in East Delhi.
Expressing shock, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a statement said he was “deeply disturbed” to hear the news of the shameful incident. Taking cognisance of the widespread protests and allegations of the police offering hush money to the victim’s parents, the Home Ministry has also sought a report on the incident.
An Assistant Commissioner of Police, who assaulted a young protester at Swami Dayanand Hospital, where the girl was earlier admitted in the Intensive Care Unit, has been suspended.
Earlier on Friday, protesters started converging at the hospital around 9 a.m. after news of the brutal rape broke. Volunteers of Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party also joined in demanding that the victim be shifted to AIIMS.
Amid ongoing protests, East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit and Delhi Health Minister A.K. Walia visited the hospital to enquire about the victim’s condition. They were heckled by the protesters. Women and Child Development Minister Kiran Walia, who arrived later, had to retreat as the protesters blocked her way.
Following hectic consultations, in the late afternoon the authorities concerned decided to shift the victim to AIIMS, where activists of the All India Students’ Association also staged a protest against the alleged police inaction. They demanded stringent action against the ACP of Khajuri Khas sub-division who assaulted a protester, which damaged her eardrum.
Accusing the police of callousness, the victim’s relatives said the girl had gone missing on Monday, after which they lodged a missing report. “She was locked up in a room on the ground floor of the building where we live on the first floor. We rescued her after some of the tenants raised an alarm on hearing her cries on Wednesday morning,” said a relative, alleging that the police had offered Rs. 2,000 to the victim’s parents to “keep quiet.” The police have identified the accused as Manoj who had taken the room on rent about a week ago.
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