Stench of sexual violence and incompetence of State

The tragic suicide of a young girl following a harrowing case of sexual violence has laid bare, yet again, the deep-rooted failures of our institutions, our society, and our collective conscience. What should have been a moment for swift justice and collective protection for a victim has instead become a case study in negligence, stigma, and systemic apathy.

The victim was subjected to public humiliation and shaming by teachers and parents of other children. Instead of receiving the protection and justice she deserved, she was cornered and humiliated, leading to her tragic decision to end her life. This vile behaviour not only highlights the backward thinking prevalent in society but also the inability to recognise sexual violence as a serious crime and its victims as individuals in need of support and justice. 

The resulting public outrage is with cause. The very minister tasked with women’s affairs, who should be the foremost advocate for victims, has suggested that the parents of the girl submit a formal petition for her intervention. This statement, made in the wake of such a tragic death, is not only tone-deaf but shameful. It reveals a bureaucratic detachment that is wholly incompatible with the urgency that such cases demand. Justice should never hinge on a petition—it is the duty of law enforcement and the justice system to act decisively and compassionately when crimes of such a serious nature occur.

Worse still, it is reported that the girl, instead of receiving support and protection, was publicly shamed by teachers and parents of other students. This cruelty is a searing indictment of how our society still treats survivors of sexual violence—not as victims deserving justice, but as sources of shame and dishonour. The blame and stigma are too often placed not on the perpetrator, but on the survivor. This backward, toxic mindset only deepens the trauma and pushes victims into isolation, fear, and—in this case—utter despair.

Such vile behaviour by adults entrusted with the well-being of children reflects a moral failure that cannot be excused. It is not only the law that has failed this girl, but society itself. When educators become tormentors and communities become enforcers of silence, we must ask what kind of future we are building for our children.

There needs to be a concerted effort to change societal attitudes towards sexual violence. Education and awareness campaigns are crucial in dismantling the stigma and ensuring that victims are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. Schools, communities, and institutions must play an active role in fostering an environment where victims feel safe to speak out and seek justice.

Sexual violence is a crime. The survivors are not the problem—those who violate, shame, and silence them are. It is imperative that the Government, law enforcement, and civil society move urgently to reform how such cases are handled. Victims must be treated with dignity. Schools must be safe spaces. Perpetrators must be prosecuted without delay. And communities must be educated to unlearn the poisonous stigma they perpetuate.

Justice for this young girl must not be a delayed, bureaucratic formality or a result of astute political expediency. It must be swift, transparent, and transformative. Her life, like the lives of so many others lost in silence and shame, demands not just mourning—but action.