Please - Odhikar

the application of other statutes as the essence of rule of law itself in a real sense remain
incomplete.
Victims experience physical, financial and psychological/emotional impacts of victimization. At
the time of the crime, or upon discovering that a crime has occurred, victims are likely to
experience a number of physical reactions to the event. These may include increased heartbeat,
hyperventilation, shaking, numbness, dryness of the mouth, etc. Some of these reactions may not
take place immediately, they may reoccur at a later stage when the memory of the crime flashes
back. Victims may suffer a range of physical effects including insomnia, loss of appetite,
lethargy, headaches, muscle tension, nausea etc.
As for the financial impact of crime, the victim may incur costs such as: repairing property or
replacing possessions, installing security measures, accessing health services, participating in the
criminal justice system for instance attending the trial, obtaining professional counseling to
come to terms with the emotional impact, etc. In terms of psychological injuries, some victims
suffer acute stress disorder, or develop PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) or other adjustment
disorders from victimization.
The victims are negatively affected persons or groups who have suffered physically and/or
financially and even emotionally and psychologically, directly or indirectly from the criminal
activities. In fact, the principles of the criminal justice system should consider their welfare,
remedy and security. They are simply regarded and considered as informers, approvers or
witnesses. Their virtual role as a victim, deserving justice, is not primarily accepted and
considered.
Female victims of crime are more vulnerable to sexual and other abuses and to abuses at the
hands of government penal agencies. Most of Nepal's police are not trained to deal with crime
against women and often do not take women's reports seriously. Rape victims and victims of
domestic abuse are often not dealt with sympathetically. Women complainants are intimidated
by the bureaucratic procedures and few cases end in convictions. In many ways prostitutes are
victims of society and also deserve sympathetic treatment. Training on how to deal with these
sort of cases is just beginning for Nepal's police. There are no government shelters for victims of
domestic abuse either.
Status of Victim's Rights in Nepal
Victims have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. In Nepal victims only enjoy a
limited right of representation in trials and do not enjoy the right to appeal against acquittals or
the withdrawal of cases. There is no law to respect the right of victims to information about the
status of their case during prosecution or trial.
Victims have the right to be protected from intimidation and harm. In Nepal victims are often
not protected from further victimization even where cases have involved personal violence; no
law compels the prosecution to inform victims if accused persons are released on bail; victims'
fear of retaliation are not considered while conducting bail hearings; no efforts are made to
protect victim's interests during trials; during trails victims are required to come out into the
public glare and have often to face inconvenient and irritating questioning by defense lawyer;
and courts often fail to exercise their powers to protect victims from unnecessary media
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Report 2005