Society in Distress
Yet another rape was reported last fortnight in Goa. This time, the victim is a 15-year-old girl from Assanora. The disturbing aspect is that rapes are now pre-planned in groups. The crimes can no longer be pinned on immigrants ~ the latter who have traditionally been blamed for the ills of Goan society ~ but local boys who not only were born, raised and nurtured in Goa, but ironically were familiar with the victim. This then is the greatest challenge facing women today ~ to identify a potential rapist amongst people she trusts.
The victim in question was summoned to the boy’s residence on the pretext of his mother wanting to speak to her, but on entering the house, the boy locked the door and she was forced to consume some liquid which rendered her unconscious. What ails the deviant male psyche one might ask?
The quest is to rape by whatever means. In the absence of exemplary conviction and punishment, perpetrators (as seen in the 7-year-old rape of the Vasco girl), appear to garner more courage and resort to even more devious means to commit the crime, even resorting to threat and blackmail to further exploit the victim long after the crime was first committed. The victim eventually revealed the incident to her family following persistent harassment for further sexual favours. Unfortunately, more and more girls fall victims. The State has in fact witnessed a sudden spurt in anti-women crimes in recent weeks ~ rapes, molestation, kidnapping, even murder. There was even an instance of a policeman barging into a home and molesting a female in the guise of conducting a “search.” NGOs and women’s groups are yet to take the menace seriously. It was left to a lad based outside Goa to even contemplate the idea of supplying canisters of pepper spray as a defense mechanism to women. But carrying canisters every time they step out of the house, even if it means visiting the immediate neighbour, is not a viable option at all times when gangs of perpetrators continue to scout around for a potential prey.
There’s an urgent need for a change in mindset amongst the male, where a male witness to any women-related crime is shamed at his indifference. As of now, no sustained effort is made by anybody to educate young girls on how to deal with rape, potential rape or molestation. Tragically, Goa is moving in a retrograde direction. Must every woman eventually have to move out of their home only accompanied by a brother, a husband or a father, lest they are attacked? The declining women’s ratio is further poised to accentuate the menace, if serious corrective action is delayed.
On a priority, all women must be motivated with proper guidance to report to the police in the event of rape. Women must be educated on the legal as well as the required evidence that would be demanded in a court of law.
A further boost would be to enlighten women as to how to get clinching evidence. The police on their part have shown a lackadaisical attitude to crack rape cases. This has to change. Victims must be guided by the police in trapping blackmailers seeking further sexual favours by recording conversations, preplanning a swoop on the adventurous hunters and catching them in the act. This will result in prompt justice, instead of endless humiliation to the victim even in the quest of justice.
