Another minor raped and murdered
The rape and murder of 13-year-old Ayesha Siddiqua Sumaiya, living in Rangpur is another reminder of the lack of protection young girls and women against sexual predators. Sumaiya, a student of Class VII was alone in her home – her parents were at a religious function – when a gang swooped on the minor, raping and then strangling her to death.
Rape is seldom reported in our country in fear of social stigmatization and intimidation by the rapists who are invariably individuals who can use influence and money to go scot free. But even the number of reported cases demonstrates the high incidence of rape especially of minor and teenage girls. In 2014, according to an Ain O Shalish Kendra study, there were 387 rape cases and 208 gang-rape cases with around 68 cases of the victims being murdered after the rape. Around 181 of the rape victims were minors.
We do not know how many women and girls have been raped from January until now but going by the chilling statistics of the 2014 report it would not be presumptuous to assume that the number of such incidents will be appallingly high.
When we have extremely stringent laws against rape and murder after rape, especially in the case of minors, why should the number of heinous crimes be so high? Law enforcers must be made to investigate these despicable crimes and catch the rapists. We must all help to protect our girl children.
Comments