An 18-year-old girl was forced to film her own father raping her in the hope her mother would believe her and it would lead to his arrest. Sarita Devi*, from Jalaun district of Uttar Pradesh, in northern India, had to film her father raping her on her phone after suffering his attacks for over four years. Sarita claimed her mother and older sister never believed her when she told them her father had been sexually assaulting her.
For a period of four years Sarita’s 53-year-old father would force himself on her whenever they were in the house alone. During the last incident she placed her phone on the window and pointed it in her direction before clicking record. As soon as the assault was over she showed it to her mother before going to the police.
The video was used as evidence in arresting him last Thursday. Sarita’s mother said:
‘I always went mad when my daughter complained about her father. I thought she was making up stories about him. But the truth has left me shattered. I am still shocked to believe a father could do this to his own daughter. But now my daughter has all my support and I regret not believing her sooner.’
Station Head Officer Alok Saxena, 53, confirmed they have arrested the father soon after Sarita filed a complaint. He said:
‘Tired of her father exploiting her she decided to film the crime and placed a camera (in the room) to record him. She showed the clip to the police and registered an FIR. After registering the FIR and investigating the case her father was arrested. This incident is deeply condemned. Her father has confessed to his crime’.
‘He has admitted that he has been assaulting his daughter all these years and a case has been registered against him under Section 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and The Protection of Children from sexual Offences Act.’
Police added the father blamed his addiction to alcohol for this heinous crime. In a court hearing earlier this week Sarita bravely narrated her ordeal and demanded the worse possible punishment for her father.
*Names have been changed to protect the teenager and her family members’ identities.