Delhi rape: Victim records statement again

, Dec 25: The government has allowed re-recording of the statement of the Delhi rape victim at the Safadarjung Hospital ICU. Since the recording has been carried out due to earlier bungling in the procedure with the interference of the police officials, it is a tragedy of the system.

The 23-year-old girl is being subjected to trauma of recollecting her horror night and it could have been avoided if the officials had conducted themselves with dignity and commonsense.

On Monday night a metropolitan magistrate recorded her statement under Section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code. The intention of the authorities is understandable, however, they do not seem to respect the girl nor the trauma of a rape victim, which has been well documented.

According to a survivors website (http://www.hopesurvivors.org.uk) "immediate reactions after a rape may vary. Some rape survivors remain controlled, numb, in shock, denial disbelief. They present a flat affect, quiet, reserved, and have difficulties expressing themselves. Other rape survivors respond quite differently - being very expressive and verbalising feelings of sadness or anger. They may appear distraught or anxious and may even express rage or hostility against the medical staff attempting to care for them."

"Various factors may aid or inhibit the survivors ability to resolve the issues associated by the rape. Positive feelings of self-esteem, good support systems, previous success in dealing with crisis and economic security all enhance the ability to heal. Survivors who can minimise, (deal with one small segment of the problem at a time ) often find success. Certainly survivors moved to action gain confidence as they implement decisions. But survivors who suffer with chronic stress, lack of support systems and prior victimisation struggle less successfully to resolve their issues. Negative self-esteem often hinders their progress and paralyse their efforts. These victims often use maladaptive methods to deal with their stress. These factors hamper their ability to resolve the issues of the rape and move beyond it."

"Rape victims can suffer a significant degree of physical and emotional trauma during the rape, immediately following the rape and over a considerable time period after the rape."

Even though the Delhi rape victim has exhibited remarkable sense of control, recounting of horror is not adviable.

OneIndia News