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India has witnessed several public outcries and widespread protests against cases of rape over the years. The Supreme Court’s controversial verdict on the Mathura rape case of 1972 triggered mass demonstrations in the country and the case is touted to be a watershed moment in India’s rape laws as it eventually led the central government to amend the flawed laws. One of the most horrific and much-publicised cases in the recent past was the Nirbhaya case of 2012, which led to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act of 2013, resulting in the amendment of the Indian Penal Code, Indian Evidence Act, and Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. Some cases that triggered outrage and wide media coverage included the Unnao rape case of 2017, the Kathua rape case of 2018, and the recent horrific rape and murder of a medical student in the confines of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal. These dastardly violent acts share something in common- delayed/denied justice and cover-up attempts. All rape cases should be treated equally, as the Constitution guarantees equality before the law. There can’t be justice without a fair trial. But unfortunately, rape cases are often measured by the severity, the amount of media coverage, and the public attention a case receives. Thousands of such criminal cases are reported in the country every year but only a few grab the public attention, which has become sort of a criterion for the police to take action. More often than not, the government also intervenes only when things go out of hand. This attitude has eroded public trust in the enforcement agencies, the government, and the justice delivery system.
In Nagaland, sexual assault cases often surface days after the incident, while it takes no time for a brawl between individuals or groups to hit various social media platforms, sometimes with a tint of tribalistic tone. In most cases, it takes condemnations from various civil society organisations and other pressure groups for families of victims and the police to file an FIR against the accused. The classic example is the unprecedented delay in lodging a case against a senior pastor of the Fathers’ House Church in Chümoukedima for his alleged sexual misconduct on minor boys. He has reportedly been absconding. The sudden manhunt after a relative silence speaks volumes about our sense of justice. But the fact is that many religious leaders have been convicted of sexual abuse and other criminal activities- they are humans too. Reports also say that more than 90 per cent of rapes are committed by people known to the victims, which is disturbing. What kind of society do you expect if sexual predators are allowed to get away with their crimes just because they are religious leaders or close to the victims? Prompt and stringent action should be taken against sexual offenders, irrespective of gender and social status. Failing to do so will amount to encouraging criminal activities. It is also important to know that sexual assault can happen anywhere, any time and to anybody. And that boys are equally vulnerable.