Tougher laws and better support for the victims is the need of the hour
In light of the recent unfortunate Motorway gang rape incident, the Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to establish a national emergency helpline. The delivery unit will be responsible for the tasks, according to a tweet from the ministry of information. A mother travelling to a nearby town via motorway was stopped and gang raped in front of her children. The incident has jolted the entire civic society and people have been calling for measures to stop such crimes from occurring in the future.
Controversy surrounding the events
There have been a number of issues in this case. First and foremost, the jurisdiction of the areas has been a problem. Motorway police believes that the area is not under its jurisdiction and delays may have occurred in helping the stranded family.
The top cop of Lahore, CCPO Umar Sheikh, also gave some unsavory statements shifting the blame on the victim. The CCPO suggested that the victim should have travelled via GT Road late at night. The main accused in the case has also dodged arrest on more than one occasion. Some of the actual details of the incident are also sketchy and even contradictory. Media has not been very responsible in its handling of the case.
Need for better law enforcement
A multipronged approach is needed in order to tackle with the growing issues of sexual assault in the country. Laws need to be tougher and the culprits must be brought to justice quickly. As the age old cliché goes, justice delayed is justice denied.
At the same time, it is imperative that a better support system is in place for the victim. Blaming the victim helps no one. There should be counselling available to ensure that the person who underwent the trauma can get back to normal. The counselling should be available in the public hospitals since private counselors charge a lot and not everyone can afford them. It is the duty of the government to look after the victims and survivors.