Subarnachar Rape: Lives sucked into an abyss of trauma
Before she was raped, Joba (not her real name) lived the life of a regular homemaker and bore the identity of a wife, a mother and a woman of her own volition.
She would spend her days as any homemaker in a village does – getting engaged in household chores, exchanging casual conversations with neighbours, attending social gatherings, and spending time with her family and friends.
But since December 30, 2018, she has been known as "Joba the rape victim" -- an identity that altered her life forever. Her home -- once known by her husband's name -- is now called the "home of Joba the raped woman".
A mother of four in Noakhali's Subarnachar upazila, Joba was raped on that day by a group of men.
These men were allegedly ordered to do so by Ruhul Amin, a former member of Char Jubilee union parishad and the then publicity secretary of Subarnachar Awami League.
During the trial the victim told the court she was raped as a "punishment" for casting a vote for "sheaf of paddy" – the electoral symbol of BNP -- in the 11th national election.
Joba was finally granted justice.
"I choose not to pay heed to their remarks. I will not jeopardise my marriage by giving value to these things."
Though the verdict represents a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for rape victims, it does not change the fact that her life and that of her family have been through a never-ending nightmare.
"I may have been poor, but I lived a life with dignity. Even in the face of food scarcity, we had a peaceful life," said Joba, talking to The Daily Star at her home just days before the verdict was delivered.
But since that incident, nothing was ever the same again.
Five years on, Joba still avoids interacting with people, something she used to love doing before.
At home, she is overcome with a sense of shame when facing her sons or daughters-in-law.
However, it is far more harrowing when she has to live in the same village as those who caused her this life-altering trauma.
"The families of all 16 accused live in the same village as me … Their relatives continue to harass me and my family."
After becoming a subject of ridicule and gossip in her neighbourhood, Joba had to take the difficult decision to marry her eldest daughter off when she was only in the eighth grade -- out of concerns for the child's safety and future.
Evidently, her children and husband were not spared either.
Her younger daughter, who is currently in class eight, is known as the "daughter of Joba the rape victim".
"My child is mocked by everyone, including her classmates and friends … Often, she comes home in tears. I can't do much other than try to comfort her…"
Joba's husband was the plaintiff of the case in which the sentences were delivered yesterday.
In the face of humiliation and sneers, he stands firm by his wife.
"I choose not to pay heed to their remarks. I will not jeopardise my marriage by giving value to these things."
However, Joba's trauma is not confined to mockery and social humiliation. The psychological impacts are profound.
"I wake up suddenly between 1:00-2:00am and it feels like I'm trapped in the past, in that very incident. I have nightmares about it and can't help crying out loudly."
Joba's daughter stays with her on those nights to comfort her.
Speaking to The Daily Star yesterday, Dr Sunjida Shahriah, a physician and psychotherapy practitioner who has worked with victims of rape before, explained the level of trauma in such cases.
"Rape victims suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and relive the horrific memories of the incident, which results in nightmares, sleeplessness, irritability and difficulty in managing their lives."
She believes it is not only the physical self of the victim that faces the trauma but their psychology, and social and spiritual well-beings are heavily affected.
Meanwhile, like Joba and her family, the families of the accused also continue to face harassment and humiliation for a crime they did not commit.
Prime accused Ruhul Amin left behind his children, including two boys aged one and two, when he was arrested.
"They are now grown up and have spent all these years deprived of a father's love and affection," his wife lamented.
While Joba's daughter is mocked as "daughter of a rape victim", Ruhul's daughter is now labelled "a rapist's child".
"My daughter cries frequently due to the rampant humiliation. We even had family discussions regarding this and my family members have tried to convince the people to not mistreat my children … None of this is their fault," Ruhul's wife said.
A resident of the village, Md Khalil has been witnessing the transformation in the lives of all those connected to the incident – the victim, her family, and the rapists' wives and children.
"It is devastating to see them all in such a state. All of their lives have been stripped of respect and dignity."
(The victim's name has been changed to protect her identity.)