Onus of dealing with child abuse lies on society too: Bombay high court

Society at large, and families in particular, lack knowledge of the 3 ‘R’s — recognise, resist and report — when it comes to dealing with child molestation and sexual abuse offences. The Bombay High Court has observed in one of it judgment, and appealed to society, to deal with the problem of child abuse, prevalent all around the world.

Studies show that around 15 to 20% of children are abused, and this includes both girls and boys. The high court said, “Unfortunately, in a rural setting, this facet of life is left unobserved, unattended and untaught. Therefore, the crime persists with regular frequency.”

These observations were made by justice Roshan Dalvi, while rejecting the appeal filed by one Laxman Kokare, against a sentence of ten years’ imprisonment handed down to him by an Alibaugh sessions court. The court, while upholding the sentence of Kokare, a father of two minor children, said, “Showing leniency to the accused because he has two minor children would mean that fathers of minor children can sexually molest minor children of other fathers. It would be scandalous to suggest that such people, who are a menace to innocent children, can be dealt with by the court with any amount of leniency.”

Kokare was seeking pardon for the crime committed by him on July 9, 2004, when he sexually assaulted a nine year old girl. The girl lived with her siblings after her mother expired, and her father lived separately.

She was on her way to school when Kokare enticed her with a chocolate and dragged her into a field. After the incident, the victim proceeded to school. She was found to be bleeding by her teacher and sent home. There, she narrated the incident to her 17-year-old sister, who took her to the police station and lodged a complaint.
Her ordeal did not end there. The next day, she went in search of the accused with her sister, as she could not describe the accused. They found him, and he was then arrested.

The court said, “The victim in this case is the kind of target that child molesters look out for, and attempt to violate. These are facts of human life that need to be heeded by society at large, and which the judicial should notice.” It further said, “The violence upon the minor child is unmistakable. It constitutes gross violation of human rights.”