Never ending ordeal for assault victims

In what seems to be a growing trend, police are left grappling with cases where rape victims are being threatened by the accused, who are out of jail.

Repercussions of this are being felt as rape victims, fearing backlash from the perpetrators, are preferring not to file police cases.

At a counselling session held here on Saturday, families of 12 rape victims narrated their harrowing tales.

A mason revealed that his 13-year-old daughter was raped by two young men. After a brief jail period, the youth were reportedly back to stalking and threatening the girls.

The father of a 17-year-old rape victim from Azhakar Kovil had another heart-rending story to tell. “The accused, who stayed near my house, had raped two of my daughters and I did not file complaints due to lack of legal assistance. The same person then raped my third daughter, after which a police complaint was filed.”

Urging families of rape victims to file police complaints, Madurai Superintendent of Police V Balakrishnan directed his subordinates to take stringent action against persons accused of rape, who were still threatening their victims, and directed officials to monitor rape accused even after they were released on bail.