Cuttack, April 29: Orissa High Court has stressed on the need for "preventive education" to reduce sexual abuse of young girls.
The court said: "Child is a symbol of simplicity. Childhood is a period of innocence and purity. Acquiring the trust of a child is very easy. Betraying her trust and abusing her sexually by taking advantage of her simplicity is not only shameful and iniquitous but also inhuman."
"Preventive education of sexual abuse at the young age, family support and security to the child can reduce such excruciating happenings in the future," the single-judge bench of Justice S.K. Sahoo said, while expressing concern over the "precarious condition" of a victim, who was raped 10 years ago when she was a minor.
"She cries many a time in solitude recounting the horrifying experience. Sometimes she gets very little support from her family and relatives," Justice Sahoo observed, while directing that her case be considered for compensation under the state government's victim compensation scheme.
Justice Sahoo issued the direction on April 25, while upholding the judgment and order of conviction of a trial court in the minor girl's rape case in which Nankun Naik was sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment on March 2, 2009.
"In view of the precarious condition of the victim of rape, who is now maintaining herself and her minor son by working as a labourer, it is felt necessary to recommend the case of the victim to the District Legal Services Authority, Sundargarh, to examine the case of the victim after conducting necessary inquiry in accordance with law for grant of compensation under the "Odisha Victim Compensation Scheme, 2012," Justice Sahoo said in his order, a copy of the full text of which is in possession of The Telegraph.
According to reports presented in court, the victim lives at her father's house with her son, who was born in July 2006, and maintains her livelihood by working as a daily labourer. The victim is still unmarried and her child studies in Class IV.
The incident had taken place on October 10, 2005 at Kanika under Hemgir police station limits in Sundargarh district. Nankun was arrested on November 8, 2005 and released on bail on May 5, 2006. He had been again remanded to custody after the judgment on March 2, 2009, following which he had filed an appeal.
Justice Sahoo dismissed his appeal, but directed that he should be set free forthwith because he had undergone the period of sentence remaining in custody for about seven years and six months.
