From now only female magistrates will record statements of female and child victims of rape and sexual harassment, the Supreme Court said in a circular on Tuesday.
The circular was issued by Supreme Court Registrar General Dr Md Zakir Hossain on Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain’s instruction.
The apex court asked chief judicial magistrates and chief metropolitan magistrates to send rape or other sexual assault victim (children and women) to female magistrates to record their testimonies.
In many cases, testimonies of rape or other sexual assault victims are recorded by male magistrates.
Women or children rape or other sexual assault victims feel hesitation to narrate their ordeal to a male magistrate, the circular said.
To deal with such cases, female magistrates are essential to record testimonies of rape or other sexual assault victims so that they can narrate anything without hesitation, it added.
