Sexual Violence: A Global Pandemic/ 17th to 23rd March 2018
Sexual Violence: A Global Pandemic
Written by Shruti Garg
Blogging Team
Sexual violence is a global pandemic. One in three women experiences sexual or physical violence – most likely from their intimate partner, according to a report from the World Health Organization. There is an urgent need to increase sensitization regarding sexual violence and the awareness of consent and sexual violence amongst persons at large. In this series, we examine sexual violence and related issues that have come up in the news, on a weekly basis, published every Saturday. This is an attempt to improve awareness regarding incidents of sexual violence and related matters, so that we, as a society can take steps towards collective action to reduce its incidence. It is an effort to ensure that we acknowledge the rampant sexual violence that exists, lest we forget.
This issue looks at news from 17th to 23rd March 2018.
- 151 sex crimes in a small community, north of Arctic Circle, identified by Norwegian Police
Since 1950s, a small community of 2000 people, inhabitants of north of Arctic circle have been facing sex crimes and child rape. These have been uncovered recently by the Norwegian police. The inhabitants were forbidden to speak about the sexual abuse they were facing by the adults and were spat on if they uttered a word.
Until recently, with the help of freelance journalists the victims had their story heard through a national newspaper. This finally made all the stories of abuse come out at once.
2. Indian Table Tennis star allegedly commits a sex crime and gets suspended
18-year-old has filed a rape allegation against Indian table tennis player Soumyajit Ghosh. He has been placed under provisional suspension by the TTFI (Table Tennis Federation of India). Due to grievous nature of charges he was suspended immediately. Ghosh is currently working with his lawyer to fight this case.
3. Delhi girl commits suicide after being stalked by neighbour
From Bakhtawarpur area in Rohini, a class 12 student tired and frustrated from being stalked continuously killed herself. She was being sexually harassed and stalked by the 20-year-old neighbour as written in the suicide note.
The police is on the lookout for the alleged stalker since the case was registered.
4. Punjab University Students take a stand against Dental Professor
On 20th Match, around 200 Punjab University (PU) dental students stood in solidarity with alleged victims of sexual misconduct from a professor. The students demanded the accused -Prof Dr Devinder Preet Singh- orthodontics professor of H S Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital to be rusticated.
The PU Committee Against Sexual Harassment (PUCASH) has started an investigation into the complaints filed against him. The committee is to submit its recommendation within 3 months (according to Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act) to the employer, who will then take further action.
5. US school teacher commits sex crime
Former Missouri, US, school teacher has been charged with a sex crime with a student. The 58-year-old teacher David Mendelson Jr., who used to teach English at St. Louis high school has been accused of inappropriate sexual contact with the student.
The crime supposedly happened during the 2009-2010 school year. The followed up investigation lead to the arrest of the English language teacher and hasn’t been hired since 2010 in the district.
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