As we note the unprecedented, if not always productive, attention being drawn to widespread sexual violence in India, we need to remember that in the shadows of media attention, legal activists routinely wage long, arduous and painful struggles in courts. One such set of activists located at MAJLIS LEGAL CENTRE, Mumbai, recently secured the conviction in Sessions Court, of a 60 year old man for the sexual assault of a toddler. Here is the inspiring (and infuriating!) account of this battle in the words of Majlis. Some of us have been making an argument for CCTV’s in police stations, to monitor the behaviour of the police towards complainants, especially of sexual violence. This case only reinforces our belief that the surveillance by citizens, of the coercive apparatus of the state is imperative.

It’s been two long years of trials and tribulations as we journeyed a difficult path with a very young rape survivor.  In fact, this case started off the ‘Socio-Legal Support to Survivors of Sexual Assault’ Programme of Majlis.

The incident had taken place within the premises of Kalina Education Society in Kalina in February, 2011. When the mother noticed an injury on her child and rushed to the police station, the police, instead of registering a case, recording her complaint and sending the child for medical examination, preferred to call the school principal to the police station.  The Principal, in the presence of the lady Police Sub-Inspector, threatened the mother that if she filed a complaint, her child would be thrown out of the school. This led to valuable medical evidence being lost. The next day the mother was asked to bring to the child to school by the lady Sub-Inspector, for “investigations”.  While the mother was asked to wait outside  the school compound, the child was interrogated alone  by the principal and teachers in the presence of the police, and was threatened.   The case was recorded only when the mother, on the third day, at her own initiative, took the child to a private doctor, who after noticing the injury  referred the child to the Sion Hospital (which is a Government Hospital). Continue reading Justice for a rape survivor: Majlis Legal Centre →