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Sexual abuse victims march to eradicate shaming

COUNTRYWIDE: They will travel across the country covering 20 states

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Women carry out protest over rising rape incidents — Pic for representation
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A march made up of sexual assault victims, including those who suffered rape, is travelling across the country covering 20 states to sensitise people about the issue and stop victim blaming.

The march which began in Mumbai and will culminate in Delhi, reached Gujarat and will be here for two days. Explaining the purpose of the march, Asif Shaikh, Convenor, Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan that is co-ordinating the march said that there is a need to end victim shaming.

"The problem is not just the poor conviction but the victim shaming that victims face. It not only makes it difficult for the victims to seek justice it often prevents them from reporting the cases in the first place," said Shaikh.

The march also is an attempt to help achieve 100% conviction in cases of sexual violence.

Anita (name changed) a survivor of one such incident recounted how her father attempted to kill her after she returned home from one such situation. Anita who had gone with her mother after they were promised better wages ended up being sold into marriage for 55000 by a woman. "They would keep me locked in a room and beat me. They made me sign documents to show that I was married to the person I was sold," said Anita. She said a missing person complaint filed by her father brought the cops to her door and she was rescued. "But when I returned to the village, my family was ostracised and people would not talk to us. They even convinced my father to throw me out. He was so harassed that he once came after me with an axe to kill me," said Anita speaking about victim shaming.

Shaikh said that in many cases where women are trafficked and sold into slavery, the accused would also file cross complaints to put further pressure on the victims. He said often the victims would be sold in neighbouring states because inter-state operations often took a lot of time and police were also reluctant to pursue it for bureaucratic hurdles.

CONVICTION RATE

  • The march which began in Mumbai and will culminate in Delhi. 
     
  • Gujarat will see such marches for two more days. 
     
  • The other aim of the march is to make an attempt to help achieve 100% conviction in cases of sexual violence.
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