THEME 3: DISPROPORTIONATE TARGETING OF YOUNG GIRLS
CASE STUDY: RAPE AND HUMILIATION OF DALIT GIRLS FOR POLITICAL GAIN
Peena (name changed)
State: Karnataka
Date: March 2019
The survivor, after finishing her college around 4:30 pm, was going to a beauty parlour at Puttur city. On the way, she met her classmate who claimed that her mother had told him to bring her back home as soon as possible. The victim sat s in his car, where already four people were present. They took her to a deserted forest area. The survivor started shouting for help, but the accused persons mixed some drugs in her cold drink which made her unconscious. They raped her and made a video of it, then threatened her with it. They issued death threats as well.
A few days after this incident, there was a college leadership election. It was found that there was a misunderstanding among these five accused, and they got divided into two groups. To take a revenge on each other, one of these groups shared the rape video on several Whatsapp groups, and it went viral.
This case was then reported in the police station. The police voluntarily lodged the complaint and FIR has been filed. The use of technology and social media put such young dalit victims of sexual violence in further precarious situations. Though these videos also serve as proof of the crime and sometimes help in conviction of cases in the court, the mental and physical trauma on the survivor is immense.