A minor Dalit girl was abducted and raped by Sachin Gautam on 19th December, 2019 in Uttar Pradesh. The alleged rapist had been arrested and sent to jail. However, on 14th May 2020, the brother of the accused, Sonu Gautam, allegedly began to harass and threaten the minor girl’s father. The young Dalit girl witnessed her father’s harassment by the brother of the rapist, and was driven to suicide. She hung herself on May 14, 2020 in Bachaupur, Uttar Pradesh. The caste of the perpetrators has not been reported, though Gautams are often Brahmins or Rajputs in Uttar Pradesh.
The immense psychological, emotional, and physical distress of rape is followed here by intimidation, humiliation, and the threat of violence. This violence is not just aimed at the victim but her family as well. The burden of her family’s safety and dignity is placed on the victim. Thus, an environment of shame and fear is created for the victim to blame herself for the dangers to her family.
Here especially, a minor Dalit girl faced immense distress on witnessing how her family was being further punished for the violence she faced, which added to the trauma of rape, leading to her taking her own life.
Supporting Links: https://www.deccanherald.com/national/minor-dalit-rape-victim-kills-herself-after-after-watching-her-father-being-threatened-837935.html
https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/minor-dalit-rape-victim-kills-herself-after-father-threatened/1835216
https://www.indiatoday.in/crime/story/minor-dalit-rape-victim-kills-herself-after-father-threatened-by-accused-brother-1678410-2020-05-15
