Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Shillong, November 09 2008:
THE STATISTICS of Meghalalaya police and State Women Commission have revealed that there have been 200 rape and 47 attempted rape cases in the matriarchal society of Meghalaya from the year 2001 to 2008 .
Meghalaya, known and renowned for its unique matrilineal society and which made Pratibha Patil, President of India "highly impressed" during her visit in the state on October 22, 2008, has shown the other side of the feature.
Crime against the fairer sex in Meghalaya is fast rising inspite of the fact that Domestic Violence Act had come into force in the year 2006 .
With the appointment of Protection Officer under the Act in various states, the Act is to give assistance to the abused women for medical examination, legal aid and safe shelters.
Further, the Domestic Violence Act was implemented with the aim to provide imprisonment and monetary fine for violence and harassment including physical, verbal, emotional, economical outrage to the modesty of women.
However, Meghalaya has not provided any official record to the Centre despite the increasing cases of crime against women, especially the cases of rape victims in the state, which has risen up to 200 rape and 47 attempted rape cases during the last seven years in the state.
Meanwhile, the culprits of the rape of a minor girl Monica Biswakarma in the year 2002 and the mystery alleged rape and murder of Darihun Lyngwi in Meghalaya in the month of June are yet to be found.