10 diff-abled women, kids abused in last 6 months, reveals report

What is shocking is that in many of the incidents, the accused were not identified by the investigating agencies. “In incidents that happened on May 1 this year, a 26 year old disabled woman in Parvathanahalli village, Dharmapuri district was raped and murdered, but so far the accused in the case have not been identified.

This is the situation in most instances,” said Namburajan, State General Secretary, TARATDAC.

At a time when the entire state was debating about the Ayanavaram incident in which a minor girl with disabilities was raped by 17 men over a period of time, in July, two similar incidents occurred in which a 13-year-old girl with disabilities was raped and murdered in Acharampatti village, Sivaganga district in July and a 12-year old girl with disabilities was raped at Jakkampatti, Theni district. In total, 10 such incidents of sexual violence against disabled women and children were recorded in the state in the last six months, said Namburajan.

Experts say that such women and children are more vulnerable to sexual abuse and the investigating agencies are not properly sensitised. Vidya Shankar, Director, Relief Foundation, said that according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) records, disabled women and children are more vulnerable than normal people by 40 per cent.

She also stressed on the importance of community policing to reduce crimes against the disabled. Andrew Sesuraj, Assistant Professor of Social Works Department in Loyola College, said that no formal sensitisation programme is carried out for policemen who investigate such cases and hence problems arise in investigation.