New Delhi: An 18-year-old athlete in Pathanamthitta, Kerala has revealed that she was sexually abused by more than 60 people over the last five years. The survivor, belonging to a Dalit community, opened up before volunteers of the Kerala Mahila Samakhya Society (KMSS), who later took up her allegations before the state police.
Following an uproar over her revelations, Kerala police registered separate FIRs in two police stations and arrested six people. “In one case we arrested five people, and a lone accused in another case. More cases will be registered after verifying details. A deputy superintendent of police is heading the probe,” the Indian Express quoted Pathanamthitta Superintendent of Police (SP) V.G. Vinod Kumar as saying.
The matter came to light a fortnight ago when KMSS volunteers happened to meet the athlete during a random visit, during which she shared her experiences. The volunteers then informed the district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) about her allegations.
“I told the girl to report before the committee along with her mother. She was given counselling and she opened up before a psychologist, narrating the sexual abuse she has been facing since the age of 13,” head of Pathanamthitta CWC and lawyer N.Rajeev said, adding that the athlete had not even shared her ordeal with her family.
“She hadn’t shared anything with the mother. Since the girl is a district-level athlete, she has attended various sports camps over the years. That situation might have facilitated this series of sexual abuse,” he said.
Rajeev revealed that the phone numbers of most of the alleged perpetrators of her abuse were found in her father’s phone, who is said to be an alcoholic.
The New Indian Express reported that those arrested so far – Subin (24,) S. Sandeep (30), V.K. Vineeth (30), K. Anandu (21) and S. Sudhi Sreeni (24) – are residents of Chenneerkara in Pathanamthitta.
Initial investigations, as reported by the paper, indicated that the athlete was coerced into a loop of repeated abuse after Subin, her neighbour, forcibly showed her pornographic videos, raped her at an isolated place and then secretly filmed the assault. Police claimed that Subin blackmailed her subsequently, threatened her with doxing, and pushed her to be repeatedly abused by his friends.
The state police told reporters that they have also gathered evidence that indicates that the athlete was also sexually abused by her coaches, fellow athletes and classmates.
Those arrested are facing charges under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
