Rage Against Rape - Call for Drastic Reform

Some crimes leave you speechless. How could someone do this to a three-year-old child? How could the accused speak about it without remorse? How could such a crime happen - and how could our systems and our society fail to prevent it? The heinous crime against 3-year-old Garima Chaudhary, and the remarks of the 16-year-old accused, are a gut-wrenching indication of something deeply wrong. This is not only about one individual. It forces us to confront the mindset that makes such violence possible. And we must be honest: our current laws and systems are not enough. For crimes of this magnitude, punishment must be commensurate with the crime. Being a minor cannot become a shield from accountability for the most serious offences. But even the harshest laws alone will not solve this. Because countries with severe punishments still see sexual violence. So we need a much deeper, whole-of-society response INCLUDING stricter laws. from the family and community to the police, the justice system and the State. From preventing abuse and changing attitudes, to ensuring that when a child goes missing, the State responds immediately. From confronting the mentality behind sexual violence to ensuring that every institution understands the seriousness of these crimes. I truly appreciate the Government’s commitment and the sensitive dialogue with the victim’s family and to present recommendations for legal reform within seven days. But that report must not simply ask how we punish more harshly. It must ask: How do we prevent this? How do we dismantle this mentality? How do we make our laws stronger, our systems faster, and our society safer? This is not a light conversation. It cannot be reduced to outrage for a few days and forgotten. We have pushed for this deeper conversation within our Parliamentary Party, and we will continue pushing for meaningful legal and systemic reform. We cannot be quiet. And we won’t be.