Enveloped in moroseness, an uneasy calm prevails in Darji Mohalla, Doranda. Fear looms large as a maze of uncertainty over identity of the actual sex abuser and murderer of the six-year old girl child remains shrouded till proven.
While the Ranchi Police readies for conducting a DNA test on Saddam Qureshi, a 19-year old butcher by profession apprehended as suspect on basis of circumstantial evidences in the afore-mentioned case, in many other sexual assaults the culprits remain at large.
Incidence of rape, especially of girl child, in Jharkhand is impudently on the rise. Total rape cases reported in January 2013 was 92; February registered 69 cases; March 93 while April saw an unnerving number of over 100 cases.
The extent of brutality perpetrated while committing the heinous act reflects the maniacal mind set of the rapist for whom the thick line between a child and woman as a sex object has blurred. They are viciously doing their victims to death to evade identification and arrest.
Incorporating capital punishment for rape, boiling rage of the people, demand for fast track death sentence for rapists pitched to an octane, media’s awareness drive— nothing seems to deter or diminish rapist’s brazen audacity.
A salvo of accusations greeted the Police and the State Govt. machinery for lax in vigil and let up in preventing sexual offences, even pulled up by the High Court for slackness which took suo moto cognizance of the incidents aiming to protect the society from further ravages by these sexual offenders.
Nonetheless, psychologists and psychiatrists well versed with knowledge of established theories about maladaptive and socially disapproved sexual patterns are of the view that psycho-social factors shape the mental frame of rapists.
“Immature innocent children and adolescent girls are the targets of paedophiles. In 80% of the cases of paedophilia, the victim is known to the offender”, informs Dr S P Sinha, a retired professor and ex-HOD of Psychology Dept. Vinobha Bhave University. Reading excerpts from a book authored by James C. Coleman, of University of California and an expert in abnormal psychology, he discusses their traits, categories and modus operandi at length. The sexually deviant behaviour may be under impulse, but usually the act is not impulsive.
It begins with a type of friendly courtship with the victim which eventually leads to sexual play for sexual thrills. The act involves exploration and manipulation of the child’s genitals but sometimes the degree of injury inflicted could be very grievous.
This stands true as exhibited in recently reported infamous cases of Darji Mohalla, lalpur and Jamtara. They may be classified into hostile and aggressive psychopathic offenders who use coercion by offering gifts to children like chocolates and ice creams. They are also prone to denying their offences.
Otherwise they appear normal. Therefore their sinister motive cannot be ascertained in advance. The post-mortem report of the victim of Darji Mohalla suggests insertion of foreign objects but is silent on penetration, as revealed by a source in the department.
The suspect is visibly weak and low in perception also. These facts agree with the above hypothesis.
As in case of rapists, majority of them are anti-social psychopaths. Their indulgence in socially disapproved sexual patterns is aimed at deriving excitement which heightens with increased aggression and traumatising the victims with brutal assaults.
The causal factors are lowering of inner control, debasement of ethical values, fuelled by excessive exposure to pornography and alcoholism that make them sex predators. Beside episodic assaults, they do not manifest any outward anti-social behaviour.
The Vice President of State Council for Child Welfare, Ruprekha Prasad strongly expresses, “They are a potential threat to the society. Once identified, they should be sentenced to rigorous imprisonment to dispel the cloud of insecurity hovering over our society”.
Throwing light on socio-cultural factors, Dr Shahid Hassan, ex HOD Psychology Dept. Ranchi University elucidates, “Social conditions found in suburban and urban ghettos produce their share of maniacs. An environment characterised by the breakdown of social norms, disorganisation, and undesirable peer models and a climate of alienation induces hostility towards broader society. Also due to faulty child rearing practices this personality is manifested in inadequate conscience development. In plurality, most of sexual perverts are unskilled workers low in income and education.
Obsolete legal procedure and slow rate of conviction lead to fearlessness and repetition of sexual assaults”.
Out of the 14 sensitive rape cases projected by the media, chargesheet in five cases have been filed while investigation is nearly complete in remaining cases.
Trial by Fast Track courts with accelerated convictions would be a healing balm on the wounds. One thing is now certain; it is the certainty of punishment and also the quantum which is going to stem this tide in our country.