PANJIM: Questions arise when as in the case of the Siolim rape case people support the accused rather than the victim. Last week, several staff members of the school where the victim studied at took to the streets to show their support to the teacher mentioned in the complaint filed by the victim’s mother.

While this may raise eyebrows, the mother also claimed that an unidentified person was trying to find out as where the girl lived to reach a settlement. While this is a disturbing trend, is the law not able to safeguard the rights of the 10-year-old victim?

The Goa Children’s Act 2003 and Rules, 2004 has everything needed to protect a child who’s been abused, but as some child rights activists said, there is a need for better awareness and implementation of the Act itself.

“Of course as per the law, the name of the victim has to be kept a secret but in addition, there are also other rules including providing protection when asked for or to have the victim shifted to a shelter home to make sure the child is safe,” said Childline North Goa coordinator Suzanne de Souza who has worked with children involved in several cases of abuse.

Irrespective of the number of supporters the accused has, the strength of the case lies in the facts, she said and recounted a case of a child in Calangute who accused his teacher of sexual assault but no medical report pointed to this and the case was dismissed.

In the Siolim case however, the medical report clearly points to an abuse and this, she said, is a major point that can’t be overlooked.

Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) India Director Mathew Kurian, however, said that the support enjoyed by the accused could affect the case, as such he called for strengthening the Goa Children’s Act with empowerment.

“It is important that children are empowered and taught what abuse is in the first place. There is a need for more seriousness in the practice of implementing the Act itself. However, for the moment there is no active involvement of authorities in this,” said Kurian.