As a child, our early memories are supposed to be happy and invigorating; all things bright and beautiful. I remember my own childhood being a delightful one, where I was protected from the negatives and given everything I could have possibly needed.
In a little girl’s life, a doll is very important. You play with the doll, you talk to the doll, you have tea parties and you braid her hair. The doll is a constant companion. But what a doll is most definitely not, is a rape demonstration prop.
No, you did not hear me wrong. I did indeed say rape demonstration prop. Because that’s what happened with a 5 year old girl.
The little girl in question was on her way to school with her brother. She was kidnapped by a man. The man first distracted the brother by giving him a Rs. 10 note and then he took the girl to a separate place where he raped her. The girl was found at a different location.
When the girl’s parents presented her for questioning, she was given a doll to make her more comfortable. She answered a few questions, following which she was quiet and began gesticulating and demonstrating with the doll. She made a motion with her finger to suggest penetration. She also scratched with her finger nails at the doll’s vaginal region. The girl told them that he also slapped her.
The accused had previously convicted to 5 years in jail and a fine of 5,000. In the current instance, the accused had filed an appeal to the High Court for which the girl had been brought in for questioning and cross examination. The Court proceeded to dismiss the appeal.
On the last few years, incidents of rape and sexual violence have been brought to the notice of people and in the public eye.