A seven-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her neighbour after he lured her away while she was playing outside in Rajasthan's Barmer city, India, on Sunday evening. Police have arrested the suspect, Magh Singh, son of Tej Singh, in connection with the attack.
Details of the Incident
According to police, the minor was playing in front of her house when the accused youth pretended he wanted to show her someone's home, before he took her to a secluded area in the bushes and raped her. The young girl, crying in pain, told her family about the horrific alleged attack when she reached home. They swiftly rushed her to hospital and authorities were informed.
Police inspected the area where the attack is believed to have happened and took family statements before the arrest. The case has triggered widespread anger and disgust among horrified residents.
Context of Violence Against Women in India
Despite Government promises to tackle violence against women and girls in India, more than 30,000 cases of rape are recorded in the country every year. Anti-rape campaigners believe the actual number is much higher, saying that many cases go unreported due to societal stigma as victims fear blaming and shaming.
Tougher rape laws were introduced, including the death penalty in severe cases, following the horrific gang rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student in 2012 in Delhi, who tragically died from her injuries.
Campaigner Yogita Bhayana said "we have learnt no lessons" in June this year. Her comments came after a 28-year-old mother of four said she was gang-raped in her own home by a group of men who allegedly inserted objects into her. A bullet casing dropped from her vagina days after the horrifying alleged attack.
But Bhayana warned that "fear has not been installed in society". She told the BBC: "Such cases keep happening because the message has not percolated down to every last corner of India that rape can get them capital punishment."
