Time lag in compensation for rape, sexual assault victims

In Mumbai, of the 25 cases, compensation has been sanctioned for eight and the amount actually transferred to three.

There have been 1,112 claimants to financial relief under the ‘Manodhairya Yojana’ launched last October for survivors of acid attacks and victims of rape and other sexual crimes. They were mostly rape and sexual abuse victims, and by the end of May, 512 across the state were sanctioned relief under the scheme.

Within six months of the launched of the scheme following the gangrape of a Mumbai-based photojournalist, Rs 5.40 crore was disbursed to to 220 survivors of atrocities, according to sources. In Pune, only one victim got financial relief though 61 had applied and sanction had been given for relief to five. Financial, medical and legal aid, besides rehabilitation and counselling are offered under the scheme.

Women and Child Development Minister Varsha Gaikwad is focusing on more fast track courts to expedite pending cases. According to Gaikwad, the majority of victims are minor girls.

After the launch of Manodhairya to provide speedy compensation to rape and acid attack financial aid in five of the 61 cases have been sanctioned. One received the amount, and she was a rape victim. District Women and Child Development Officer Meenakshi Birajdar told Newsline that a board chaired by the collector which includes a district civil surgeon and women and child development officers decides the compensation case by case.

“Once an FIR is lodged, the case is reported to the board and we examine details. At times it is difficult to track down the rape victim. However, we have been able to trace a rape victim from Nepal,” Birajdar said.

While an initial amount of Rs 15 crore has been sanctioned, the recent cabinet meeting made provisions to allocate Rs 25 crore more for the scheme, WCD officials said. Kiran Moghe, president of the state branch of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, said it was vital to ensure board members met regularly to provide speedy compensation to survivors of atrocities against women.

In Thane, 189 cases, the highest in the state, were registered and financial aid ranging from Rs 2-3 lakh was sanctioned to 77 victims. Ahmednagar had the least cases, 2. In Mumbai, of the 25 cases, compensation has been sanctioned for eight and the amount actually transferred to three. In Chandrapur, 24 of the 92 cases have been sanctioned the amount and 11 handed over the compensation.

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Acid attack victims whose faces are completely disfigured or suffer from physical handicap are given Rs 3 lakh, and those with minor injuries Rs 50,000.

Human rights activist Aseem Sarode said the gangrape of the photojournalist may have prompted the state to start the scheme but women subjected to such acts prior to launch of Manodhairya being left out was
unfair.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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