The Times of India: Ahmedabad: Thursday, April 05, 2012.
Not many know this but in early February this year a sessions court in Ahmedabad had ordered the state government to take care of the welfare of a minor rape victim and even compensate her under the provision of the scheme of Criminal Injuries Relief and Rehabilitation Board for rape victims.
Additional sessions judge Jyotsnaben Yagnik issued these directions to the state women's commission, additional principal secretary of social welfare department and the government to compensate the rape victim, who is just six-and-a-half-year-old girl in this case. The victim could have been eligible for a compensation of Rs 2 lakh, under the financial assistance to the victims of rape - a scheme for restorative justice (FAVRRJ) had the state government formed the board in time in every district. Instead the court could only order a compensation of Rs 10,000.
Additional public prosecutor M G Kapadia said that in this case the court convicted a 22-year-old accused Govindbhai Devipujak for raping the minor on January 14, last year, in Isanpur area of the city. The youth was given life imprisonment and fined with Rs 11,000. The court also directed the registry to pay Rs 10,000 from the amount received from the convict to the victim towards compensation. But the victim could have been eligible for a compensation of Rs 2 lakh.
While punishing the rape accused, the court observed that courts cannot overlook the effects on the rape victims in times when violence against women and particularly incidents of sexual assault against minor girls are alarmingly on the increase.
The court direction has come within a month of the state government's notification with regard to the formation of such boards at the state and district level on directions issued by the Supreme Court to extend support to rape victims.
"Rape victims deserve the maximum compassion from any state government. If the Rs 2.57 crore grant meant for rape victims has lapsed, it means that there is complete lack of positive action for women. The government should work upon improving such anti-women policies", says founder-director, Ahmedabad Women's Action Group (AWAG) Ila Pathak.
Additional sessions judge Jyotsnaben Yagnik issued these directions to the state women's commission, additional principal secretary of social welfare department and the government to compensate the rape victim, who is just six-and-a-half-year-old girl in this case. The victim could have been eligible for a compensation of Rs 2 lakh, under the financial assistance to the victims of rape - a scheme for restorative justice (FAVRRJ) had the state government formed the board in time in every district. Instead the court could only order a compensation of Rs 10,000.
Additional public prosecutor M G Kapadia said that in this case the court convicted a 22-year-old accused Govindbhai Devipujak for raping the minor on January 14, last year, in Isanpur area of the city. The youth was given life imprisonment and fined with Rs 11,000. The court also directed the registry to pay Rs 10,000 from the amount received from the convict to the victim towards compensation. But the victim could have been eligible for a compensation of Rs 2 lakh.
While punishing the rape accused, the court observed that courts cannot overlook the effects on the rape victims in times when violence against women and particularly incidents of sexual assault against minor girls are alarmingly on the increase.
The court direction has come within a month of the state government's notification with regard to the formation of such boards at the state and district level on directions issued by the Supreme Court to extend support to rape victims.
"Rape victims deserve the maximum compassion from any state government. If the Rs 2.57 crore grant meant for rape victims has lapsed, it means that there is complete lack of positive action for women. The government should work upon improving such anti-women policies", says founder-director, Ahmedabad Women's Action Group (AWAG) Ila Pathak.
.JPG)
.JPG)
