PONDA: Experts expressed concern over the low rate of conviction and percentage of acquittal in sexual assault cases and stressed measures to punish guilty at the one day workshop on sexual assault investigations held at Ponda. The workshop was organized Wednesday by the National Forensic Sciences University Goa (NFSU) at its Curti- Ponda campus.
The event focused on interagency coordination for cold case investigation involving sexual assault with some expert including eminent speaker, Prof Robert Green, University of Kent UK, (NFSU) Dean Dr Lokesh Chouhan, Chief Guest Arunkumar Mishra and expert delivered talks on related issue..
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Peter Borges, Goa Child Rights Commissioner said that there is need to conduct research as to what are the contributing factors leading to increasing child sexual abuse. He said in recent times, those acting as protectors are themselves abusing children. He said, recently six cases of sexual abuse by teachers are recorded. Further there is lot of delay in reporting this cases by schools is matter of concern. It is also noted that some young student who got pregnant were not even aware of their pregnancies in fourth and fifth month.
Borges said, there is great responsibility on all of us to control this and so Child Rights Commission is providing training to around three thousand teachers to prevent child abuse in school. More teachers will be trained in January. He said despite POCSO mandate to finish cases within year the cases are sometimes delayed for five to six year. He said there is also failure to pay compensation to victims on time. It is collective responsibility of all to find urgent solution and justice to victims of sexual assault.
Deputy Inspector General of Goa Police Aslam Khan stressed the need to change mentality of society for justice to victims and punish known and unknown accused and said, many times the accused are known to the victim.
She shared her experience of some cases that when a victim says about she is sexually assaulted by close relatives such as friend, father, step father, grandfather or uncles. In such cases, very few families bother to go police and register cases. Often there is an effort by families to protect the accused. She said the society needs to change its mentality. The people should come out in support of victim so that no one would dare to commit such offences.
