It is unfortunate that it takes something as horrific as a rape to unite a nation. But it has. In a barbaric act of violence, an 8-month-old Indian baby was raped by a 28-year-old cousin in the absence of her parents.
The shocking incident took place on Sunday at her west Delhi's Subhash Nagar home.
The rape was so violent that the baby girl reportedly needed three-hours of surgery to survive, post which she was kept in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). She has survived.
What exactly happened and how?
The horrific act took place when the girl's parents both left for work. While her father left for his office, his mother (who is a domestic help) also left for work for an hour.
The baby girl was left in the care of a relative who also lived in the same building.
It was during this time, the 28-year-old cousin violently abused her.
When the mother returned, she found her daughter lying in the bed, crying and covered in blood. The parents then immediately rushed the girl to the hospital where rape was reportedly confirmed.
The family shared that they suspected the cousin, who also happens to be the father of a boy. Although he was missing for a large part of the day, the police managed to nab him. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime.
The brutal assault has united many known voices against the alleged rapist, who demanded he be given severe punishment.
8-month-old raped: Nation raises voice against the barbaric act
Upon hearing the news, Swati Maliwal, head, Delhi Commission for Women, tweeted, "The worst has happened. An 8 month old baby has been brutally raped in the Capital and is battling for her life in a Hospital..."
But she was not the only one to voice their angst against this horrific act.
Horrific sexual assaults on babies in India! Why?
Unfortunately, this is not the first time such an assault has taken place on a young baby. Just last year we reported that an 11-month-old baby girl was raped by a neighbour four two hours.
"I was horrified to see my daughter's condition. Her clothes were torn and she had nail marks all over the body. The severe injuries might have a lifelong impact on her health," the 27-year-old father stated at the time.
This news also came close on heels of previous shocking stories about a five-year-old and a two-year-old being raped in Delhi.
All of these cases once again pose the question: Where is our conscience? Why are people brutalising babies?
Since most of these cases are assaults on babies, even if you know what 'good touch, bad touch' is, you cannot explain it to kids as young as one. The best thing to do is to be more vigilant as parents.
Once your kids are old enough, you can teach them some of these crucial safety measures.
Parents, please be more careful!
- Discourage them from going alone or with a stranger. With the increasing number of sexual abuse cases, it is safe to say that you must discourage your kids from venturing out alone or with people you do not know closely. In addition, do not just hand over your child to those less known. Teach your kids to never agree to go with people who they do not know much about.
- Inform about those they interact with. Ask your kids to keep you abreast with all the people they interact with at school or when they go out. As a parent you must always be in the know of those who talk or play with your kids.
- Teach them to reach out to you. Make sure your children have your address and phone numbers handy, and know how to ask for help if they are lost or alone.
- Communicate openly. Keep all channels of communication open. Let your child know that they should immediately come to you if anybody makes them feel uncomfortable or if they are not sure about something.
In addition, make sure to pay attention to any adult that might seem to be making your child feel or look 'uncomfortable' and pay heed to any sudden behavioural changes.
Most importantly, be aware and reassure your kids that you will protect them no matter the case.
Republished with permission from: The Indus Parent