3 hospitals, 12 hours later, raped minor gets medical help
What's the story
In another incident highlighting the pathetic treatment of rape survivors in India, a family had to move from hospital to hospital for 12 hours to find medical assistance for their eight-year-old raped daughter.
Three hospitals in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddha Nagar district refused to examine the minor for rape, citing staff shortage or inadequate equipment, reported DNA.
Read on to know more.
Incident
The girl went missing from outside her house
According to the police, at around 4pm on Thursday, the girl, who lives in Greater Noida's Jarcha village, went missing from outside her house where she was playing.
After two hours of searching, she was found coming out of a nearby house, crying and bleeding from her private parts.
A neighbor had lured her with candies, taken her to his house and raped her.
Aftermath
15-year-old accused arrested, sent to correctional home
The accused, a 15-year-old boy from the same village, was arrested on Friday.
He confessed his crime during interrogation, was produced before the district court and sent to a juvenile home the same day.
However, it took the family and the police about 12 hours and visits to three hospitals to get the girl's preliminary medical examination done, which finally happened at 3:30am.
Apathy
1 raped child, 3 hospitals, 12 hours, 0 help
They first went to a local hospital in Jarcha. It denied her medical aid because of staff shortage.
Next, they visited a hospital in Dadri, which didn't have the needed medical kit. They then went to Noida's district hospital, which also denied them assistance, saying there was no female doctor to attend to the girl. They were asked to visit again in the morning.
No sensitivity
Gross dereliction of duty
It is not uncommon for rape survivors in India to meet with such deep apathy. This, when doctors are bound by law to provide them free first aid and treatment.
The medical examination is supposed to be therapeutic, providing a victim of assault assurance, assistance and safety. It also expedites the process of speedy justice by acting as medical proof of the heinous crime.