Child abuse remains rampant in Punjab

Police yet to take special measures for dealing with rape survivors

LAHORE:

Despite being aware of the vulnerability of minor children, Punjab Police has not yet taken any special measures for dealing with the survivors of child sexual abuse.

There is still a lack of an ethical approach while dealing with the victims and consideration of their mental health situation during the investigations process. The department also appears to be failing to deter the rape incidents.

The police have been well aware of their capability constraints since the 2015 Kasur child pornography scandal came to light. They drew heavy criticism for dealing with the issue of sexual assault with apathy. The local people not even held a demonstration against the police when former Punjab IGP Mushtaq Sukhera visited the village.

A similar police attitude of indifference was seen in the 2018 Zainab rape and murder case as well as in the 2019 Chunian serial killing case. Punjab Police faced public anger and criticism on social media after both the cases.

The issue once again came to the light after the brutal incident of gang rape of a woman and her minor daughter was reported in Kashmore, Sindh.

Several cases of child sexual abuse were reported in the Punjab capital during the past few days. A seven-year-old girl was raped at gunpoint by a shopkeeper in Nawab Town area of Lahore. The victim reportedly fell unconscious and was admitted to a hospital for treatment.

On November 21, a seven-year-old girl’s body was dumped after her rape in Baghbanpura. A day earlier, a case of gang rape of a minor was reported in the same area, where two suspects identified as Mubashir and Sheraz were booked.

On November 17, a suspect named Suleman was arrested on ten charge of sexual assault on a minor girl in Iqbal Town. On November 11, a 14-year-old boy was murdered after sexual assault in Shadbagh. A number of rape cases have also been reported from other parts of the province during recent weeks.

On November 19, the case of sexual assault of an eight-year-old boy was reported in Faisalabad. On November 11, a girl was sexually assaulted in Noshera Virkan. On November 8, a student was murdered after sexual assault in Mandi Bahauddin. A report by Sahil, a non-governmental organisation, revealed that at least eight children fell victim to sexual abuse daily on average in the country.

In the first half of the current year, at least 1,489 children were subjected to sexual assault.

In the first half of 2019, at least seven children were raped per day in the country, as a total of 1,304 cases of child sexual abuse were reported during the period.

The minor victims remain vulnerable after the crime and need to be treated with caution after being sexually assaulted. Proper care should be taken so that they are not re-traumatised.

At the same time, the collection of evidence as well as interrogation is important for proceeding with the police case.

However, unfortunately the police lack a humane approach while performing the tasks. The officials are often found to be highly insensitive in dealing with such cases.

Reportedly, a number of investigation officers were so cruel in their investigations that the rape survivors were forced to sit in front of the sexual predators.

In many cases, the humiliation of minor girls in front of their alleged rapists was also reported. The police need to form a specialised cell to deal with cases involving violence against children.

(THE VICTIMS’ IDENTITIES HAVE NOT BEEN DISCLOSED AS A MATTER OF POLICY)

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2020.