Mumbai takes great pride in being a safe city for women, but what happens when its very protectors turn into monsters?
Mumbai takes great pride in being a safe city for women, but what happens when its very protectors turn into monsters? After three men invaded the sanctity of her home and gang-raped her, a 36-year-old woman from Palghar thought she would at least find a safe haven with the police. But instead of helping her, the cops put her through hell all over again.
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For three days and nights, she was held at the Palghar police station against her will, even as she was beaten, starved and abused, stated a front-page report in this paper yesterday. Instead of sympathizing with her and registering her complaint, the cops shamed the victim and implied that her claims were not true. The cops finally let her go and filed an FIR, but only charged one accused.
While the police deny all the allegations, the report throws light on how rape survivors are treated by the very officers who are supposed to help them. Today, we see an increasing number of women mustering the courage to file a rape complaint. They are encouraged to name and shame those that harass them, and society recognises that it is the the culprit who should be ashamed, not the target.
Having said that, it is not enough to simply tell rape survivors that they must speak up. The authorities must ensure that the survivors are treated with dignity and sensitivity. Officials must take sensitivity training seriously so that they know how to deal with complaints like these. While working within the ambit of the law is important, these cases call for understanding, compassion and an absolute premium on respect for the complainant. In fact, the last factor is non-negotiable.
Society too must show support for the survivor and make her feel she has made the right decision to speak out or complain. The complainant must be made to feel it was worth the effort, that justice will be served and she will be helped to piece her life back together. She must not be pushed to regret the brave step she has taken, because that would be a step back.
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