[Watch/Read] 60 Year Old Dalit Rape Victim Fights To Restore Her SC Name

Video Source: Indian Express| Originally Reported By Arun Janardhanan | Photo by Arun Janardhanan

The atrocities committed on women in the name of family honour, sexual dominance or to “put them back into their places” are countless, and in many cases, untold. She often keeps silent about them in order not to trouble anyone with her complaints. She weeps mutely.

If the woman belongs to a lower caste then she is doubly marginalized. And all sorts of underhand means are resorted to by the so called “protectors of public”, that is, the police. Documents can be forged or FIR refused. In an extreme case like a rape she might consider committing suicide first due to the fear of shame wrought on her family. Yes, it is an irony that instead of the perpetrator of the crime, it is the victim who is shamed. It is the bitter reality of India today.

And we say that women who dress indecently, or behave like a man, are the ones who provoke rapists and invite rapes. What about those who are toddlers, or 60-years-old, always clad in the traditional sari?

Watch this small video to see how a 60-year-old woman belonging to the SC Pallar community was raped by a local sand mafia on 27^th April, 2014. Ironically his name was that of the God whom the rape survivor called upon to save her, which further infuriated the alleged culprit. Similar to a lot of such stories, the police refused to believe that she was raped and said that she must have opened the door to someone else.

The official even forged her community certificate to state that she was a Christian! In a country where there is a religious Jihad going on in the name of conversion to one’s own religion, a woman’s religion is changed so as to prevent the onset of the stringent SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act! This despite the police officials having seen the woman pray in the nearby temple.

No wonder, the first thought was that of suicide due to “shame”, but she decided against it so as to teach her children what courage and tenacity mean. The family decided to approach the higher authorities and during a probe ordered by the district collector it was found that she was indeed a Hindu. 18 months now, she is still waiting for even a charge sheet to be filed.

Whatever community she belongs to might be irrelevant, her age or reason for being raped might be irrelevant. The only thing that matters is justice. We plead our readers to spread this news far and wide. Who knows her story might reach the relevant authorities and justice may be granted?

Read the full story here