Things a police officer should not say, do or allow Back
During field research, experts and survivors of rape and sexual assault told us of the inhuman and unlawful acts of some police officers when they were asked to register a complaint for rape. We felt the need to draw up a list of things that a police officer must never say, do or allow.
- Refuse to file a First Information Report (FIR).
- Question the survivor’s character.
- Ask for a bribe to file the FIR.
- Discourage the survivor from filing an FIR on grounds of societal stigma and loss of honour.
- Insist on a medical examination to 'prove' rape before filing the FIR.
- Detain the survivor or make her wait for long hours before filing the FIR.
- Make the survivor narrate the incident in front of multiple members of the police station.
*This list is, by no means, an exhaustive one.
**In consultation with Aparna Bhat, lawyer, Supreme Court of India. Bhat conceived and helped start 'Rape Crisis', a 24/7 support system for survivors of rape and sexual assault in Delhi.