Rape: Pay compensation and you’ll be set free!
- From: "tiny dancer" <tinydancer357@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 8 Sep 2007 03:20:46 -0400
Rape: Pay compensation and you?ll be set free!
Rishabh Srivastava
08 September 2007, Saturday
Views: 11 Comments: 0
A judge in Tamilnadu set a rapist free because he offered a
compensation of Rs 10 lakhs to the victim. Then why do we need the law? Put
up a price list for rape and ask the culprit to pay up the compensation! It
is time our judiciary was over-hauled.
RAPE IS ONE of the most heinous crimes committed by a human to control,
dominate and force another to their own will. It is prevalent worldwide.
Whatever the reason behind it - social, religious or war, it carries the
same crushing shame, anger and emotional trauma.
The following figures are telltale: every 26 minutes, a woman in India is
molested; every 34 minutes, a woman is raped; every 42 minutes, a woman is
sexually harassed; every 43 minutes, a woman is kidnapped; every 93 minutes,
a woman is killed. And these are just the cases that are reported.
Out of the cases that are reported, very few lead to punishment of the
culprit. Often the woman is bombarded with all sorts of humiliating
questions and hence the cases are withdrawn midway. If the perpetrator is
influential and rich, it can be taken as assured that justice will be thrown
out of the window. This has been proved time and again. We cannot wish away
the emotional trauma of rape but we can at least provide the emotional
support that the victim needs and see to it that the rapist is put behind
bars. This will at least reduce the rape-related crimes in the country. But
the story is very different on the ground.
Now judge the following ?judgment?: A shocking verdict was delivered by a
judge in Tamilnadu ? the learned judge set aside the conviction of a rapist
because he offered Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the victim. The victim must
have been traumatized by the verdict. Now the question is whether a
convicted rapist can be let off because he is rich? Is it justice or a
travesty of justice? How can a convicted rapist be acquitted because he
agrees to pay compensation? Does that mean anyone with money can rape with
impunity? We may as well dispense with trials, courts, lawyers and judges,
if it is so. Why bother with the legal system? Just put up a price list for
rape. It is shocking that someone charged with a criminal offence could be
let off so lightly. I am also amazed that no social organisation, no women?
s group and not even the media reported this travesty of justice except an
English daily.
In India more than 80% of the rape cases go unreported because the victim is
looked upon as if she was at fault and somehow asked for it ? in other
words, she is stigmatized by society. Not many people have faith in the
legal system and as a result the victim has to suffer all by herself; she
also has to suffer the humiliation of her rapist roaming around freely right
before her eyes. Few go against all odds to seek justice only to meet with
this kind of response from the judiciary at the end of it all; a worse
situation cannot befall our women.
The judiciary needs an overhaul; more stringent laws are required to curb
violence and crime against women. Rape should be considered at par with
murder. The relevant reforms are essential so the rich cannot consider law
as their property. Rulings like this only imply that our women can be raped,
murdered and all the same, you can buy your freedom by compensating the
woman!
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=126231
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