Shakti Mills gang-rape survivors: The trauma continues

Mumbai : Trauma for the two Shakti mills gang -rape survivors seems unending.

On Wednesday as she faced her attackers in court, the second Shakti mills gang -rape survivor, a telephone operator broke down.

The prosecution that come under severe criticism after the photojournalist another gang-rape survivor allegedly fainted during her deposition less than two weeks ago, quickly placed a screen in front of the accused and creating a barrier.

Later as the trial progressed, the telephone operators tears turned to rage and she allegedly asked the court if she could slap the accused. The court said she could not and those remarks were later expunged.

This constant ordeal of the two gang-rape survivors has prompted activists and legal experts to question once again why are they not allowed to testify by video-conferencing?

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Advocate Rohini Salian, a senior lawyer who has been a special public prosecutor for the state of Maharashtra, says video-conferencing should become the norm in trials of heinous crimes such as rape where survivor testimonies are involved.

"It is very traumatic for the survivor. And I feel video-conferencing should be made a standard now. In most of the cases victims break down. Proper guidelines should be incorporated by making this as a standard in the CRPC itself," she added.

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Speaking to NDTV, friends and colleagues of one of the gang rape survivors said that the state prosecution team constantly told the survivor that it was imperative she depose in court facing her attackers. They emphasised that it was important process of law to secure a conviction, even though the survivor had expressed some apprehension.

The public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam, though denies all this.

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Activists like Nandita Shah who work on Women's Issues says the lack of holistic ecosystem of support for survivors of heinous crimes is a critical gap that results in constant insensitivity towards survivors.

"We feel that instead of looking at video conferencing as the option, what are the other support systems we need to create for the survivors?

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I feel as a state we are not looking at what kind of mental health support, counselling etc., what can she be provided to see that she can face the trial and what it takes to go through the process of law", she said.

And so in their objective of making an example of the Shakti Mills gang-rape trial, the continuing challenge for police and prosecution, is to ensure sensitivity to survivors without compromising the judicial process.