Every night when 14-year-old Disha (name changed to protect privacy) goes to sleep in her one-bedroom home in a north-east Delhi shanty, she clings to her sister for comfort.
In mid-December 2022, Disha gave birth to a child after allegedly being raped several times by a man 34 years older.
A shopkeeper in their locality, he had allegedly befriended her, then taken her to a warehouse, drugged, videoed her naked, and raped her. He used the video to threaten and rape her several times more.
Disha’s father is an auto driver and her mother is visually challenged. Her older sister is her main support, accompanying her with their father, to court. It took a lot of counselling by members from the child welfare committee and police officials to help Disha go back to school, but fear is still a large part of her life, even though the alleged perpetrator is in jail.
Many lack support
Minor survivors of sexual abuse are rarely given the emotional, financial, or legal support needed for rehabilitation. Trauma causes many to drop out of school.
Some run away from home, even getting married to men they barely know, only to live their lives in secrecy, with guilt and shame.
“If there are better rehabilitation policies, the state can ensure the psychological safety of victims before they plan on taking any drastic steps,” said Deeksha Dwivedi, a Delhi-based criminal lawyer who handles POCSO cases.
Several families do not support the survivor, and Ms. Dwivedi finds that it is mainly those who do have support who continue to fight their cases.
One area of rehabilitation is compensation. Swati Maliwal, Delhi Commission for Women chairperson, said, “Compensation provides immediate support to the family.” She added that financial advice could be given to families, on the utilisation of funds. She also believes it is best to “provide compensation at different stages of her life”.
Currently, compensation is provided at two stages: once immediately after the incident and the second time when the trial is over. The amount depends on the family’s needs, their economic background, and the gravity of the offence, but generally the whole amount is about ₹1 lakh. Disha’s lawyers and the police have sought compensation. However, they have not received any. “It’s a small amount, but even that will help us,” says her father.
Turning hostile
Another aspect of support is counselling. An officer who has worked with minor survivors explains that even before a victim gives a statement before a Magistrate, there are several counselling sessions – from three to four, depending on the age of the victim.
Despite this, “There are 80-90% chances of victims turning hostile. This could happen in the beginning, during the statement to the police and then the Magistrate, or during the actual trial,” she said.
The police provide protection and beat officers for 24x7 security. However, Teresa Balasingh, a psychologist who has worked with up to 40 survivors, says families are intimidated by constant police presence. “It makes them uncomfortable to have a uniformed person around their home and person all the time,” she said.
This double stigma — of rape and police visits — often pushes survivors and their families into denying the incidents. She would like to see formal procedures to be conversational and “take place in safe spaces, away from police stations and even homes, and in places where children feel comfortable, without the fear of society eyeing and identifying them,” she adds. Each child can be given the choice of where they feel a safe space is.
Financial independence
A third aspect is a look at children’s future. Ms. Maliwal feels that as they turn adults, it’s important that the women find financial independence.
While shelter homes offer basic education and vocational training like stitching, most minors struggle with education because of their trauma.
There is also the need for sex education in schools and at home. Disha had no idea she was pregnant; she imagined she was sick as her stomach swelled.
“Menstruation, sex, sexuality, gender, safe and unsafe touch must be first taught to parents,” said Ms. Dwivedi.
Self-defence training, though touted as a tool against sexual violence, are of no use, say the police and lawyers, because most perpetrators are known to the survivors.
