Kabita (name changed), the rape victim of Mahadevsthan VDC, however, cannot even cry over her pain. The five-year-old girl has been enduring the pain silently. [break]“Even when she speaks, she unknowingly releases excrement," her mother Mana Lama said, adding, “Sometimes she forgets her pain while watching soap operas, but then refrains from laughing for fear that she might release excrement."
Kabita was raped by Suman Shrestha, 26, some three weeks ago. Her mother said that Kabita´s private parts have festered badly. Doctors at Kanti Children Hospital, where she underwent surgery, inserted a tube inside her private parts to prevent further infection.
Doctors said the victim is traumatized and that the trauma might last throughout her life. After the incident Kabita is also having nightmares. Her mother said it´s difficult to put her to sleep after she wakes up in the middle of the night. “I change her clothes. The tube comes out and she soils her clothes often,” Mana said.
The 25-year-old mother of two children said that her husband, who recently flew off to Gulf for employment does not send much money, while she has already spent over Rs 45,000 for her daughter´s treatment. To make matters worse, the doctors have told her that Kabita needs another surgery in a month. "I even do not have money for medicines. The medicines that I bought only lasted for a week,” she said.
Mana has left the job at a garment factory that she had joined only three days before the incident. Earlier, she worked as a construction laborer and earned Rs 300 a day. “It was hard for me work as a construction laborer. I was happy to get the new job but with my daughter in this condition I cannot continue to the job," she added.
Suman, the accused, was an acquaintance. He used to visit Mana´s home often. On the day the incident took place, Kabita had returned home early after taking an exam in school. “The man took advantage of my absence and raped my child,” said Mana.
After the incident, the locals had taken Shrestha under control and handed him over to the police. Suman has been kept at the Metropolitan Police Circle, Kalimati for investigation. Mana accused the government of not taking the matter seriously.
She said she had approached Children-Women in Social Service and Human Rights (CWISH) and the District Child Welfare Board (DCWB) for financial assistance but to no avail. She also complained that the Chief District Officer (CDO), who is also the patron of DCWB refused to accept her appeal.
However, Chudamani Sharma, Kathmandu CDO said that he had asked Mana to furnish details of medical expenses within 35 days. “We are not authorized to provide assistance in advance. We will help the victim after we get the all the bills," he said.
Kamal Guragain, legal officer at CWISH said that the appeal was registered at “gender based violence monitoring committee”, a special cell at the Prime Minister Office (PMO).
Related story
Plight of many quake victims still unchanged
