Business with ill motive of exploitation

The rape of a university girl in an office-cum-residence at Shyamoli in the capital has once again brought to the fore the psychic disorder society is suffering from. More and more people seem to be driven by an extra bit of sexual predatoriness and are resorting to evil designs and intrigues in order to satisfy their drive. At a level of society, violence is the weapon for achieving what is legally and morally wrong. But the so-called educated and moneyed class know how to conceal their ugly face and fangs under the cloak only to jump on their helpless prey right at an opportune moment.

Details are yet to be available of the men who have violated a student studying fashion design at a private university. But whatever has been reported is enough to reveal the character of those sex perverts and their nefarious business. Apparently, the man in charge of the office room-supposed to be used as a residential accommodation -was a supplier of vaccines. But this is his public face and mostly a camouflage to carry on the hidden agenda of exploiting unemployed youths - young men financially and girls sexually.

Many have fallen victim to the man's cunning and guile. He discloses how his so-called business firm publishes small attractive advertisements from time to time in order to lure unemployed young people. With no registration, he has been carrying on his vile business for long. Both young men and women are interviewed for certain job which in fact is non-existent. In the name of security money, he collects money from them. In case of simple, unsuspecting and desperate women and girls he and his accomplices lay a different trap. They are asked to maintain physical relations in exchange for money or are otherwise tricked into such relations. In order to avoid exposure of his fake business and immoral acts, he continually changes address of his office. His so-called business enterprise also gets a new name at a new location.

In the case of the university girl, she recently asked another student of a different university, with whom she was acquainted about a year ago, if he could look for a job for her. Thus the time for an interview was arranged. When she appeared at the interview, she was offered wine and cigarette which she declined. No temptation or coaxing was of any use. Then she was offered soft drink but immediately after drinking it, she fell unconscious. In the soft drink, sedative was mixed and when the girl lost her consciousness both men raped her unconscious body.

How outrageous and beastly the incident is! When the victim recovered her senses, she knew what was done to her. She implored the rapists to let her go. In a similar situation many just keep it a gnawing secret for fear of social stigma. But this girl was brave enough to complain her sexual abuse. The man in the office was arrested immediately but the student who took her there was still at large.

Clearly, two issues here need to be addressed. First, there is a need for verification of private organisations and firms as also the jobs they offer. The media have no mechanism for verification of such ads but the law enforcement agencies surely should have a wing to monitor such activities. Local police stations and/camps can do it easily. People who take advantage of helplessness of the young unemployed can easily be detected if a special wing is created for monitoring the job offers published in newspapers. In this age of digitisation, the system of registration of business enterprises can be updated easily and cheating or foul play stopped at the source.