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Disabled victims of sexual abuse need special attention: SC Judge
Justice Maheshwari was the chief guest at the two-day conference on ‘Sensitization of District Judges on Gender Justice and Differently abled victims/ survivors of sexual abuse’ organised by Judicial Training and Research Institute (JTRI), Lucknow
Supreme Court judge Dinesh Maheshwari asserted that disabled victims of sexual abuse need special attention rather than sympathy.
Justice Maheshwari was the chief guest at the two-day conference on ‘Sensitization of District Judges on Gender Justice and Differently abled victims/ survivors of sexual abuse’ organised by Judicial Training and Research Institute (JTRI), Lucknow.
Addressing the gathering, Justice Maheshwari said, “While performing judicial work, we should never allow irrelevant elements, questions or any stereotypes to enter our analysis.”
“The disabled victim needs special attention rather than sympathy. It is empathy which should be embedded in the approach of judging while dealing with disabled victims or survivors of sexual abuse. Judicial officers have to establish a fine balance in their approach, and they should neither be too compassionate towards the litigants nor should be devoid of compassion,” pointed out Justice Maheshwari.
Also present on the occasion, the chief justice of Allahabad high court, Justice Rajesh Bindal, mentioned the recently declared results of class 10 and class 12, in which girls outshined the boys.
“It is remarkable that our daughters are getting the support of their families. But they are not receiving from society. It is, therefore, our pious duty that as a member of society, we must provide the required support to our daughters,” said Justice Bindal.
Justice Ramesh Sinha of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court read out the message of Justice UU Lalit of the Supreme Court, who is also chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
Justice Sunita Agarwal of the Allahabad high court, who is chairperson of the committee for sensitization of family courts, said: “Women do not need to be worshipped, rather they need the realisation of their existence. They can make their own place in society, and they are capable of doing so.”
Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay of the Lucknow high court, who is also chairman of the supervisory committee of Judicial Training and Research Institute, said: “We should develop a culture of respecting women and should also imbibe a culture of equality in our society.”
“We need to change our mindset and suggested that we should come together to break gender stereotypes,” added Justice Upadhyay.
Justice JJ Munir of the Allahabad high court also expressed his views.
Around 225 judicial officers and district judges from Lucknow, Kanpur, Sitapur, Raebareli, Unnao and Ayodhya attend the conference.
On the final day of the conference on Sunday, Justice Jaspreet Singh of the Lucknow bench of the high court appealed to participants to be more sensitive while working on the dais from tomorrow (Monday) as the purpose of the conference would be served only if it is reflected in their judicial attitude and judicial working on courts.
