Imphal Mar 13 UNA: The four school going girls who were allegedly raped by two defected cadres of Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) on October 5 last in Tamenglong’s Khoupum village were likely to become the first four rape victims who would get the benefits under the new Central sponsored scheme “Financial Assistance and Support Services to Victims of Rape.”
On that fateful day (October 5, 2012), the four girls who rushed inside a quarter of the caretaker of the IFED in Khoupum village after hearing gun shots on their way back from school to save themselves were raped by two defected ZUF cadres who were happened to be at the quarters.
While demanding justice to rape victims, several women based civil organizations in Manipur, particularly Tamenglong based have been demanding rehabilitation for them besides demanding speedy trials and delivering fitting punishment against the perpetrators.
Tamenglong district Criminal Injuries Relief and Rehabilitation Board which was constituted under the district social welfare office had on receiving applications filed by the four victims of rape has considered the same and has been referred to the State Criminal Injuries Relief and Rehabilitation Board for further actions, an official source said Wednesday.
Financial Assistance and Support Services to Victims of Rape is a scheme which was introduced by the government of India in furtherance of the goal of ensuring restorative justice to affected women and the scheme aims at providing financial assistance to victims of rape and support services such as shelter, counseling, medical aid, legal assistance, education and vocational training depending upon the needs of the victim.
The scheme covers women/minor girls who are victims of rape. For the purpose of this scheme “Rape” means-sexual intercourse with a woman under circumstances of against their will, without her consent, with her consent under certain conditions.
That is, when her consent has been obtained by putting her or any person in whom she is interested in fear or of hurt, when the man knows that he is not her husband, and that her consent is given because she believes that he is another man to whom she is or beliefs herself to be lawfully married and when she gives her consent at the time of giving such consent, by reason of unsoundness of mind or intoxication or administration by him personally or through another of any stupefying or unwholesome substance, she in unable to understand the nature and consequences of that to which she gives consent.
Under the scheme, an affected woman would be entitled to financial assistance and restorative support/services adding upto a maximum amount of Rs two lakh. The assistance should be available in respect of cases where the FIR was registered on or after the date from which the scheme comes into effect.
In the state, the scheme is being implementing under district criminal injuries relief and rehabilitation boards constituted with district magistrate/deputy commissioner as chairman constituted by the state government at the district level under State Criminal Injuries Relief and Rehabilitation Board with state principal secretary of social welfare department as chairperson.
At the national level the scheme is being implementing through the National Criminal Injuries Relief and Rehabilitation Board with secretary of Union ministry of women and child development as chairperson of the board.
A rape victim should filed her application for financial assistance and support service under the scheme within 60 days from the date of recording of the FIR by the police. The application could be filed by the victim woman or by any person/organisation/department/commissioner on her behalf with the application duly sign by her.
If the victim was a minor or mentally retarded, the application should be authorized by a medical officer and if on death of the victim woman, it could be done by her legal heir(s), according to the officials of the state social welfare department.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/rape-victims-recommend-for-assistance-under-centres-financial-assistance-and-support-services/
