CSWO alarmed at rising incidences of rape

From A Correspondent

Shillong, Aug 21: The Civil Society Women Organisation (CSWO) on Monday expressed its concern over the rise in rape cases in the State and the way some cases are being hushed up and not reported.

CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing alleged that in certain cases compromise is allowed in the police station even when the law does not permit it.

The women organisation also said that it was aware of minor girls being taken for medical examition by their parents for pregncy following sexual assaults.

Kharshiing pointed out that recently a child was taken for scanning to Dr H Gordon Robert Hospital where scanning showed a live foetus of 30 weeks.

“Yet the doctor did not report the matter to the police,” the CSWO president said.

According to Kharshiing, the family of the girl did not believe the report as the child was deaf and dumb and took her for another examition to another private hospital, which confirmed the pregncy.

“Even this hospital failed to report the rape, as it is obvious a minor getting pregnt tantamounts to rape,” Kharshiing said.

The CSWO, on getting information, contacted the relatives and advised them to file an FIR, which they did at Khliehriat police station last week.

Kharshiing also said that in another incident of rape by a father a few months back, the mother had taken her eight-year-old daughter for examition to the Ganesh Das Hospital and was examined by a gyecologist on 8th June this year.

The doctor immediately reported the matter to ‘Iohlynti’, which is a one-stop crisis centre.

Iohlynti reported the matter to Madanryting police station and the man was arrested on 9th June. The girl was sent for another medical test, whose report, according to police, states that there was no sexual assault.

“The culprit though was strangely released the next day as, according to the police, no one was willing to file the FIR,” Kharshiing said.

According to her, if there was no FIR, why was he arrested and why was the girl sent for medical examition again.

The CSWO said after they came to know of the incident two months later, they, along with Impulse NGO Network, met the minor girl.

The victim claimed that the father would rape her at night and that she confided this to her mother.

The CSWO subsequently filed an FIR on behalf of the child on 12th August, but till date the father has not been arrested.

Kharshiing also alleged that on enquiring about the report of the first doctor, the police said they could not trace the doctor.

“This is a matter of grave concern when authorities appointed to safeguard children fail to complain about such serious matters and the question arises as to who will file the complaint if a father rapes his own daughter and when officials of the Social Welfare Department and the police do not take the case suo motu,” Kharshiing wondered.