Raped Indian Woman Marries The Man Who Assaulted Her, Confirms The Decision Was Her Own
An Indian woman has married the man who she had earlier accused of raping her. The family of the woman informed the media she had “no other option.”
As if rape wasn’t the most brutal, humiliating, and agonizing experience any woman had to endure, this Indian woman has “willingly” entered into matrimony with the person she had accused of raping her, reported BBC News. Horrifically, the woman even stated that she was a willing participant in the marriage.
While rape and the criminals who commit such heinous crimes are dealt with severely in developed countries, in India, rapists can simply walk out of jail. That’s precisely the case with the accused in this rape case.
Appallingly, rape and other sexual crimes are considered a huge taboo in countries like India, and often the victims of the heinous crimes are the ones who suffer the most. As if having suffered through the ordeal of the rape wasn’t sufficient, the victims are often ostracized from the society and have to live a life of complete abandonment and shame. The very society they once lived in shuns them as lepers and a “bad influence.” In India, rape victims are often accused of inviting the criminal to commit the act.
To avoid living such a life, victims often choose the option of marrying their tormentor, explained her father.
“Her whole life would have been ruined. And we would have to put up with the embarrassment forever.”
Though the accused is currently free on bail, he did not use the time to tie the knot with the very woman he is accused of raping. Instead, the wedding took place inside Jharpada jail late last month in Bhubaneswar, the state capital of Orissa, where the man had been held since his arrest last year on rape charges.
Her father even indicated that the family was also considering withdrawing their complaint against the man. The judge had to order prison officials to organize the wedding after the alleged victim and attacker filed a joint petition in court, requesting permission to marry.
Speaking of the ceremony and her life henceforth, the woman said, “It was my own decision to marry him. Our parents also agreed to it. I am optimistic that we will have a smooth life.”
The groom and his bride, who he is accused of raping, now live with the bride’s family. Though sexual crimes and their devastating effects on the victims have been discussed at great lengths, such incidents highlight that little has come out of it.
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