Assistant Professor, Symbiosis Law School, Pune, Maharastra
Online published on 12 February, 2015.
“One of the most neglected subjects in the study of crime is its victims”!!!!
-According to the President Law Enforcement and the Administration of justice,1967
Victims of rape suffer from stress, anxiety and blame associated victimization referred to as “Post Traumatic Stress Disorders”. At present, according to NCRB the latest statistics were 33,707 in the year 2013 out of which 1,441 cases were registered in Delhi itself. To overcome the trauma of such a heinous act an understanding of victimization and sensitization among the people is necessary, then only the rehabilitation of victims could be a success. Various NGO's are working in this field for the rehabilitation of rape victims. Figures revealed by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) of home ministry are startling. It is most alarming that the singular crime of rape is the fastest growing crime in India that has increased by 902.13% from 1971 to 2012. The incidents of rape reported increased from 24,206 in 2011 to 24,923 in 2012. 806 rape cases were reported in Delhi till June 2013 New figures given by Delhi Police reveal that a woman is raped every 18 hours or molested every 14 hours in the capital. A staggering 56 percent accused in rape cases were below the age of 25.1
Today, the sympathy is in the favour of the offenders whether of rape or otherwise, based on the foundation of “Human Rights” and the “ Theory of Reformation”, throughout the world. Various reformative and rehabilitation measures are under sway for protection and welfare of the criminals. However, no such attempt is wisely made to rehabilitate and compensate the loss caused to the victims of the offence of the rape. The existing law is not as effective as it ought to be and whatever the legal measures available are practically engrafted with ambiguous language permitting payment of the meager compensation to the traumatic victims of the ghastly offence of rape. This is a glaring discrimination towards the “fair sex”- VICTIMS OF RAPE. Thus the present study examines the role of Ngo's, their working, techniques used by them for rehabilitation and problems faced by the victims during rehabilitation and suggestions to meet and mitigate the injustice being caused to the victims of rape in the present day Indian scenario.2 The current study is confined to the city of Delhi. It has been done in two stages. The first stage consisted of interactions and interviews with the NGO officials and other related authorities. Acquainted with the various rehabilitation techniques that were used by them for the betterment of the rape victims. Appropriate data as well as various case histories were provided by the NGO's. The second stage consisted of interviewing the rape victims who were undergoing rehabilitation or have been rehabilitated by the various NGO's along with interview of the family members/relatives of the rape victim for better understanding.
