MYSORE:
Here is why there is low conviction rate in rape cases and why trial is
delayed: in majority of the cases, the victims are influenced by police
and family members.
Police officers mediate and make the victim either strike a compromise with the accused, or try to marry them off to the latter. "This weakens the case, because of many rape accused escape from punishment. In many cases, the trial is delayed," said a lawyer, who deals with such cases.
There has been less than 5% conviction in rape cases. Of the 2,798 cases reported between 2008 and 2012 in the state, only 123 accused have been convicted. In Bangalore, the conviction rate stands at 3.77%, while it is 11.1% in Mangalore city and nil in Mysore city. These figures were obtained from state police data under RTI by M L Parashuram of Mysore-based Odanadi Seva Samsthe, an NGO working for the welfare of women in distress.
The reasons for low percentage of conviction are different. In many cases, the victims lose their fighting spirit due to non-cooperation from the authorities concerned, humiliation and pressure from family members.
Speaking to TOI, advocate M N Sumana, a women activist, said: "Conviction is possible if the victims are strong-willed. If not, they either strike a compromise with the accused, or lose their courage in fighting the case."
N Vijay, deputy director of women and child welfare department, admitted that victims, on occasions, do compromise fearing social stigma. "Even their family members turn docile over a period of time, and fail to fight against injustice," he added.
The accused also go unpunished for various reasons, and victims do not have the capacity to approach higher courts. Financial constraints and their inaccessibility to the seats of judgment are some of the reasons for their failure to seek revision of judgment delivered by lower courts.
Odanadi director M L Parashuram claims that most of the victims are poor women, who don't have social support.
Police officers mediate and make the victim either strike a compromise with the accused, or try to marry them off to the latter. "This weakens the case, because of many rape accused escape from punishment. In many cases, the trial is delayed," said a lawyer, who deals with such cases.
There has been less than 5% conviction in rape cases. Of the 2,798 cases reported between 2008 and 2012 in the state, only 123 accused have been convicted. In Bangalore, the conviction rate stands at 3.77%, while it is 11.1% in Mangalore city and nil in Mysore city. These figures were obtained from state police data under RTI by M L Parashuram of Mysore-based Odanadi Seva Samsthe, an NGO working for the welfare of women in distress.
The reasons for low percentage of conviction are different. In many cases, the victims lose their fighting spirit due to non-cooperation from the authorities concerned, humiliation and pressure from family members.
Speaking to TOI, advocate M N Sumana, a women activist, said: "Conviction is possible if the victims are strong-willed. If not, they either strike a compromise with the accused, or lose their courage in fighting the case."
N Vijay, deputy director of women and child welfare department, admitted that victims, on occasions, do compromise fearing social stigma. "Even their family members turn docile over a period of time, and fail to fight against injustice," he added.
The accused also go unpunished for various reasons, and victims do not have the capacity to approach higher courts. Financial constraints and their inaccessibility to the seats of judgment are some of the reasons for their failure to seek revision of judgment delivered by lower courts.
Odanadi director M L Parashuram claims that most of the victims are poor women, who don't have social support.
