Kerala police arrested a 41-year-old woman on Monday for allegedly facilitating her relative minor girl's rape and sexual abuse by a High Court lawyer. The woman, a native of Konni who was entrusted with taking care of the kid since she was without her mother's car, allegedly handed over the girl to the High Court lawyer.
While the arrested woman is the second accused in the case, the primary accused, the lawyer, is currently absconding, as per a report on PTI.
On June 10 last year, the abuse reportedly started in a hotel room in Kozhencherry where the lawyer allegedly intoxicated the girl and assaulted her. The assaults continued until June this year.
The lawyer allegedly threatened to circulate videos of the abuse to deter the victim from reporting the crimes.
The Child Welfare Committee of Pathanamthitta intervened, rescuing the girl and facilitating her detailed statement to the police. An initial case was registered at the Konni police station and later transferred to the Aranmula police station, aligning with the jurisdiction of the initial offenses.
The arrested woman is in police custody, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the lawyer.
Meanwhile, child sexual abuse are on a disturbing rise in Kerala with children facing threats even in schools and homes, as per a report on Kerala State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights. According to the report released last month, 21% of such cases occurred in children's homes, and 4% were reported in schools, as per a report on Deccan Herald. The findings have spurred the commission to initiate awareness campaigns targeting parents, teachers, and police officers to address child abuse. An analysis of 4,663 cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act revealed that 988 incidents took place in children's homes, 725 in the accused's homes, and 935 in public places.
The statistics highlight the urgent need for stronger protective measures to ensure children's safety across all environments.
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