Justice For Inisha

The brutal gang rape and murder of Inisha BK, a minor, has once again startled the nation. BK, 16, was found unconscious in Janagaran Community forest in Surkhet on the morning of Saturday, March 7. She was rushed to the provincial hospital and declared dead on arrival. Once again, the dreams, aspirations and life of a 16-year-old girl were cut short by a bunch of teenage rapists. Four boys have been arrested on charges of their involvement in the rape and murder of her. Now, there has been a growing call to hand down severe punishment to the culprits and justice to the deceased and her family.

Nirmala Panta, 13, from Kanchanpur, Samjhana Kami, 12, from Bhajang, Bhagarathi Bhatta, a teen from Baitadi and Rinku Kumari Sada, 17, from Siraha, had also lost their lives after being raped. The family of Panta is waiting for justice. Cases of extreme violence against women are on the rise, with perpetrators showing little fear of consequences. This shows that the existing legal punishment does not match the gravity of the crime committed by them. Murdering a girl after a gang-rape is a heinous crime, but girls and women continue to be victims of such atrocities in Nepal, despite stringent laws and mechanisms. They are subject to sexual abuse, which has badly affected their emotional health and social and professional life. According to the Nepal police, an average of seven to eight rape cases are reported each day in the country. Likewise, in the last eight years, from 2073/74 to 2080/81, a total of 16,960 rape cases and 5,105 attempted rape cases were registered. The actual cases might be even higher, as many cases of rape and sexual assault go unreported due to the stigma attached to them and the victim-blaming culture. 

The tendency to normalise violence against women has deprived them of a dignified life. Many cases of rape and sexual assault are settled without informing the police, which undermines the pain and suffering of victims and their right to seek justice. In many cases, the perpetrators are close acquaintances or members of the family. It’s a tragedy that women are neither safe at home nor in the public space. Dalit women, who are the victims of caste, gender and class-based discrimination, are more vulnerable to systemic violence and exploitation. The gang rape of Rinku Kumari Sada and her suicide in suspicious circumstances show how difficult it is for Dalit women to seek justice. 

It is high time to do away with the victim-blaming tendency that encourages rapists to commit crimes. When a woman is raped, society considers that the honour of women and the family is lost. It is this mindset that, instead of punishing the perpetrators, punishes the victims. Although we don’t have the provision of capital punishment in Nepal, many have voiced for such punishment for the perpetrators of gang rape and murder. The government should enact stricter laws on rape and also work on the rehabilitation of the victims, so that the victims can lead a life without stigma and fear. And to a certain extent, the deeply-rooted patriarchal mindset also needs to be changed.