For a law student, apart from understanding and learning the Indian Law, it is of utmost importance to stand for the truth. And this is what helps them pave a successful path to their bright careers. But, the dreams of a young law student were recently shattered when she was sexually assaulted by a senior, ex-supreme Court Judge. Well, the case is surely not unique, but cannot be sidetracked as well.

The student blogged about her experience and how the retired judge sexually assaulted her while she was working as his intern. She further added that her story is not at all new, but she sees only a ways of tackling these issues.

Stella James, the law student, and also a graduate from the NUJS Kolkata who went through this mental torment. Now working in an NGO, Natural Justice – Lawyers for Communities and Environment wrote about her story, how she was physically and sexually assaulted by a retired supreme court Judge in 2012. In the blog, she wrote about this incidence and how she was trying to face her life on Christmas Eve, 24th Dec, while the entire nation united to fight for the Delhi Gang Rape case.

She mentions, “In Delhi at that time, interning during the winter vacations of my final year in University, I dodged police barricades and fatigue to go to the assistance of a highly reputed, recently retired Supreme Court judge whom I was working under during my penultimate semester. For my supposed diligence, I was rewarded with sexual assault (not physically injurious, but nevertheless violating) from a man old enough to be my grandfather. I won’t go into the gory details, but suffice it to say that long after I’d left the room, the memory remained, in fact, still remains, with me.”

When we expect justice, lawyers are the only people who fight for us and help us achieve it. But, how can you expect justice when a Supreme Court Judge is himself the criminal harassing you sexually and physically. Stella mentions that she has heard of similar assault stories related to the same Judge when she spoke about her case in the college. As many as 4 other girls had experienced similar plight, but not as bad as Stella. She further mentions the reason for not lodging a complaint was due to practical and moral reasons.

Stella believes if she really had lodged a complaint, things would not have changed at all. The mindset of people hasn’t changed a bit after the Dec 16 gang rape case, how such a minor incident could change the society. Also, she believed that her complaint could have hurt a lot of people who believe in the legal system of the country. In the law firms, such incidences are managed very quietly and delicately as these cases have a deep impact on your career. However, if these conditions are not taken into consideration in the near future, then it is most likely that the profession will have to deal with an even worse condition in the future.