ANAND OBEROI
GANGTOK, 10 Dec: The year 2013 began with the disturbing news of a youth being arrested on charges of raping a 5-year-old and a 9-year-old minor in two different incidents reported from Gyalshing, West Sikkim late November last year. Through the year, two primary school teachers from remote schools were also arrested by the police mid-year on charges of being serial molesters, one of whom had impregnating a minor at the school where he had been teaching for many years.
With over 9 cases of sexual offences against children registered with the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) that are still under trial in different courts in the state, the news of sexual crimes against minors, both male and female, mostly below the age of 10 years made headlines throughout the year.
No cases of sexual offences against children were reported only from the North district, with such crimes having been reported from all the remaining three districts.
The case of a 12-year-old minor who was allegedly detained in a nearby forest for over 24 hours and raped repeatedly by 4 men at Keet Golai was a shocking instance that brought to light the vulnerability of children in the state. Another case where another 12-year-old minor was molested and raped at Pabong Khola in South Sikkim was also a case being handled by SCPCR.
The chairperson of the SCPCR, Manita Pradhan, while stressing that the focus was now totally on the rehabilitation of the victims. As for justice, the cases remain under trial at various courts.
She added here that the commission was constituted in 2008 and was fully operational now.
“The Delhi [gangrape] incident of December 2012 opened everyone’s eyes to this gruesome fact that also exists in our state. Prior to 2013 only a handful of such cases against minors used to be reported, not because the crimes were not happening, but because no one really felt the need to understand the gravity of the situation. But with the pro-active initiatives taken up by the commission, this year we have already solved many such cases and are also following-up on the cases still in court,” she informs.
She added that the Commission is dedicatedly working on generating awareness among the rural masses where such offences used to go mostly un-reported until recently.
This is changing. After one of the awareness meetings held by the commission, a mother of a minor is said to have asked the commission members what child molestation exactly meant and whether a child could actually be raped?
Ms Pradhan added here that prompt information of such cases from the police stations had also played an important role in bringing these cases to the notice of the commission.
“These are the sort of localities where were are spreading awareness on various doubts related to the offences, receiving counseling and other forms of help including legal representation from the commission. Now with time, people have started asking whether a particular way of touching a minor could be considered traumatic or damaging to the child’s psychology. This is basically the first area of our intervention,” the SCPCR Chairperson informs.
She adds that as per the guidelines, the Commission apart from generating awareness immediately responds to any case related to a minor reported at any police station across the state. From meeting the victims and their families, addressing the stigma attached and convincing them that it was alright for them to accept their child back into the family and working towards reduction and elimination of the rampant discrimination still attached to sexual offences in rural areas is what the commission is now focusing on, she added. Some school students who were victims of such crimes have once again rejoined schools and are recuperating from the trauma, she informed.
She also spoke of cases where pregnant unmarried mothers who are still minors had chosen to deliver the baby instead of opting for other means.
“It proves very difficult to explain what actually the case is to the family members of the victims who believe that the crime against their child is the end of their child’s future. In one case, the girl has gone back to her family and we as the commission members work towards making a better and positive life for the victim. After her rehabilitation and counseling, she decided to keep the baby. And if the mother agrees, her baby can be sent for adoption and the minor girl can resume her classes in her respective school as soon as she decides to,” explained the chairperson.
She added that rehabilitation homes like ‘Mamtalaya’ at Amdo Golai in Gangtok also help in counseling such victims, who are given different options and choices to move ahead in life after the traumatic experience. She added that the rights of the minor are made clear and legal help is also provided if some victim demands for the same.
Service providers and official teams from the commission that include the Law officer also make regular visits to the victims homes and file suo-moto cases if they feel that the minor has been exploited or has faced immense trauma.
“These cases never came up earlier but now cases are being forwarded to us by the police who are cooperating and supporting this movement against sexual offenders. The perpetrators can be anyone you know like a next door neighbor. It is very important to know where your child is and with whom. Speaking to the children about what kind of behavior needs to be reported is also an important aspect”, says Ms Pradhan.
“The message is going through and we are focused on our goal. With awareness on crimes against children spreading we are sure that more of such cases will get reported now. We cannot deny the fact that this could happen to just anybody,” she states.
SCPCR Helpline: 03592-208217
GANGTOK, 10 Dec: The year 2013 began with the disturbing news of a youth being arrested on charges of raping a 5-year-old and a 9-year-old minor in two different incidents reported from Gyalshing, West Sikkim late November last year. Through the year, two primary school teachers from remote schools were also arrested by the police mid-year on charges of being serial molesters, one of whom had impregnating a minor at the school where he had been teaching for many years.
With over 9 cases of sexual offences against children registered with the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) that are still under trial in different courts in the state, the news of sexual crimes against minors, both male and female, mostly below the age of 10 years made headlines throughout the year.
No cases of sexual offences against children were reported only from the North district, with such crimes having been reported from all the remaining three districts.
The case of a 12-year-old minor who was allegedly detained in a nearby forest for over 24 hours and raped repeatedly by 4 men at Keet Golai was a shocking instance that brought to light the vulnerability of children in the state. Another case where another 12-year-old minor was molested and raped at Pabong Khola in South Sikkim was also a case being handled by SCPCR.
The chairperson of the SCPCR, Manita Pradhan, while stressing that the focus was now totally on the rehabilitation of the victims. As for justice, the cases remain under trial at various courts.
She added here that the commission was constituted in 2008 and was fully operational now.
“The Delhi [gangrape] incident of December 2012 opened everyone’s eyes to this gruesome fact that also exists in our state. Prior to 2013 only a handful of such cases against minors used to be reported, not because the crimes were not happening, but because no one really felt the need to understand the gravity of the situation. But with the pro-active initiatives taken up by the commission, this year we have already solved many such cases and are also following-up on the cases still in court,” she informs.
She added that the Commission is dedicatedly working on generating awareness among the rural masses where such offences used to go mostly un-reported until recently.
This is changing. After one of the awareness meetings held by the commission, a mother of a minor is said to have asked the commission members what child molestation exactly meant and whether a child could actually be raped?
Ms Pradhan added here that prompt information of such cases from the police stations had also played an important role in bringing these cases to the notice of the commission.
“These are the sort of localities where were are spreading awareness on various doubts related to the offences, receiving counseling and other forms of help including legal representation from the commission. Now with time, people have started asking whether a particular way of touching a minor could be considered traumatic or damaging to the child’s psychology. This is basically the first area of our intervention,” the SCPCR Chairperson informs.
She adds that as per the guidelines, the Commission apart from generating awareness immediately responds to any case related to a minor reported at any police station across the state. From meeting the victims and their families, addressing the stigma attached and convincing them that it was alright for them to accept their child back into the family and working towards reduction and elimination of the rampant discrimination still attached to sexual offences in rural areas is what the commission is now focusing on, she added. Some school students who were victims of such crimes have once again rejoined schools and are recuperating from the trauma, she informed.
She also spoke of cases where pregnant unmarried mothers who are still minors had chosen to deliver the baby instead of opting for other means.
“It proves very difficult to explain what actually the case is to the family members of the victims who believe that the crime against their child is the end of their child’s future. In one case, the girl has gone back to her family and we as the commission members work towards making a better and positive life for the victim. After her rehabilitation and counseling, she decided to keep the baby. And if the mother agrees, her baby can be sent for adoption and the minor girl can resume her classes in her respective school as soon as she decides to,” explained the chairperson.
She added that rehabilitation homes like ‘Mamtalaya’ at Amdo Golai in Gangtok also help in counseling such victims, who are given different options and choices to move ahead in life after the traumatic experience. She added that the rights of the minor are made clear and legal help is also provided if some victim demands for the same.
Service providers and official teams from the commission that include the Law officer also make regular visits to the victims homes and file suo-moto cases if they feel that the minor has been exploited or has faced immense trauma.
“These cases never came up earlier but now cases are being forwarded to us by the police who are cooperating and supporting this movement against sexual offenders. The perpetrators can be anyone you know like a next door neighbor. It is very important to know where your child is and with whom. Speaking to the children about what kind of behavior needs to be reported is also an important aspect”, says Ms Pradhan.
“The message is going through and we are focused on our goal. With awareness on crimes against children spreading we are sure that more of such cases will get reported now. We cannot deny the fact that this could happen to just anybody,” she states.
SCPCR Helpline: 03592-208217
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