19-year-old pregnant rape survivor moves HC seeking aid

Abandoned by her family, a 19-year-old rape survivor, who is in the eighth month of her pregnancy, has moved the Delhi high court seeking medical and financial assistance to give birth to her child.

The Centre and the Delhi government have been asked to file their replies to the plea in the court by Thursday.

Appearing for the girl, her lawyers told the court that her family abandoned her due to social stigma. They added that she was now living in the house of one of her distant relatives.

"The victim is in a pitiable financial condition and cannot meet the expenses required for the delivery of child," they told the court.

Filing the plea, the girl has said she hails from a very poor family. She has said that one of the reasons why her family members abandoned her was because they were unable

to meet the expenses required for her treatment.

"The stigma attached to deliver a child without marriage causes grave mental injury to the petitioner coupled with financial scarcity. The pregnancy caused by the rape and to carry a child in the womb as a result of conception through rape is extremely traumatic but also humiliating...," said the plea.

The plea alleges the girl was raped in October last year by her neighbour, who had threatened to kill her brother if she disclosed the incident to anyone.

"As per her medical examination on March 3, it was found that she was five months' pregnant," her lawyer told the court and added that she, thereafter, lodged a complaint with the police on March 4. The accused however is yet to be arrested.

The counsel also said the girl had moved the court to terminate her pregnancy but was advised by doctors against it.