Article Source: Hindu

Date of Issue: September 28, 2007

Title of the article: Child abuse, rape on the rise in Mizoram

Sexual abuse and rape against minor girls have increased to an alarming proportion in Mizoram, speakers said at the Consultation Workshop on "Child Sexual Abuse and Rape".

Quoting police records, the speakers yesterday said that rape cases registered in the state till August this year had increased by 10.87 per cent as against the same period during last year while cases of outraging modesty of women also increased by 34.21 per cent.

According to police records, 39 out of 61 rape victims in the state during this year were girls below 18 years of age.

The records showed that 17 rape victims were between 10 to 14 years of age and 16 were below 10 years while six of them were between 14 to 18 years.

During last year 37 rape victims out of 46 were aged below 18 years.

Speakers in the worshop emphasized that almost 95 per cent of child sexual abuse and rape offenders were family members, relatives, friends and neighbours of the victims.

Lalengruali Sailo, Chairman of the state Child Welfare Committee said that out of the total 56 child rape cases taken up by the committee, 19 victims were raped by neighbours, 11 by close relatives like uncles, brothers, step-brothers and cousins while seven of them were by step or adopted fathers.

Sailo also said that there were four cases where fathers raped their own daughters while eight and four girls were raped by teachers in schools and caretakers of orphanage homes.

She added that only three girls fell victims to total strangers.

Experts like Vanlaldiki Ralte, Psychiatrist, working in the Aizawl Civil Hospital opined that child sexual abuse and rape were rampant in the state as there was lack of harsh punishment awarded to the offenders and lack of deterrent due to easy acceptance of even convicted offenders in the society after the term of conviction.

Sylvie Zo Ralte, Judicial Officer of Aizawl District Court was of the opinion that the age limit of 'child' should be reduced to 14 from 16 in line with the lifestyle of the new generation.

Participants in the workshop suggested creating public awareness in the remote areas, efficient networking system and introduction of sex education in elementary schools and even at Church services meant for children to prevent the increase of the heinous crime against children.

They also suggested that the state police department should fully implement the juvenile unit and also install child-line so that children who were afraid that they would be molested or raped or had already been raped could easily call the police.

The workshop, organised by the state Social Welfare Department was well-attended by human rights and child rights activists.