Rape victim sent to jail for contempt of court while giving statement

A 22-year-old gang rape survivor in Bihar was sent to jail charged with contempt of court while recording her statement in front of a magistrate in Araria. The woman had insisted that the two activists from NGO Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan accompanying her, read the statement to her before she signed. The woman along with the activists were booked for contempt of court. The FIR was lodged by the court clerk who alleged that the trio asked for a copy of the victim’s statement and threatened the presiding officer. Meanwhile the activists allege that the survivor merely asked for a confidant and the court mistook her nervousness as a personal affront. The police has so far arrested one of the 5 accused in the case.