RAPE cases especially of teen girls have become more frequent in our country. These in fact are a scar on a Muslim society like us and warrant concrete actions on part of relevant authorities to check them by delivering speedy justice to victims.
In the latest horrendous incident, two men allegedly raped and abused their 14-year old niece.
Rawalpindi police has arrested the two accused and registered a case against them. While providing legal protection to the victim girl, strict punishment should be awarded to the culprits and that too after a speedy trial since these beasts deserve no mercy of any kind.
Whenever such a rape incident takes place, it reminds us of what happened to 7-year old Zainab in Kasur who was murdered after sexual abuse.
The rape and murder case of Zainab compelled the government to do legislation to award severe punishment to those involved in such despicable acts.
Regardless of the legislation, we see no let-up in rape cases. In our view, until and unless rapists are not made an example by hanging them in public, our children will continue to become their victims.
Hearing a case the other day, the Supreme Court of Pakistan also stressed the need for curbing sexual offences against children especially girls with an iron hands.
Since there is seldom any witness in a rape case as these are usually committed in private, the courts have set the right path of not insisting upon producing direct evidence to corroborate the testimony of a rape victim if it is found to be lucid and coherent.
However to bring the offenders to justice, it is important that rape victims and their families do not fear any stigma and come forward and get the cases registered.
Society as a whole should also fully support and stand by the victims as was seen in the case of Zainab.
