When You Don’t Know Your Rights, Silence Becomes The Punishment
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For those without a voice, justice is often just another word in the dictionary. We always hear conversations on justice only after an incident has spiraled completely out of hand, whether it be a wrongful arrest, an unexplained detention, torture while being detained, or so on. The minor violations that pester our mental peace often go uncontested. For most victims, the worst part of everything they had to endure was not the harm itself, but the doubt that follows. Was this legal? How was this even allowed? Did my rights get violated? The result is more often than not a worried family seeking answers they do not know how to ask.
These questions are oftentimes too complex to answer, especially for those who do not come from a legal background or do not have the finances to afford preliminary legal advice. And more often than not, uncertainty turns into silence. And being coerced into silence in the face of injustice feels just as bad as the crime itself, which is often the case for many sins that get buried behind unheard tears and vengeful grit.
This silence is dangerous. When people do not know whether they have legal grounds to act, injustice quietly becomes the new normal.
The fear of fighting back
The first step is always the most difficult! The lingering doubt at the back of your mind, constantly asking whether you are truly innocent or whether the crime was just another mishap, eats at your motivation. This is highly prevalent in cases of, but not limited to, sexual abuse, where the victim often drowns in their own thoughts of whether they are overreacting.
Being able to snap out of this vicious cycle of doubt and fear feels the riskiest. The mental commitment needed to bury your fears and move forward feels similar to a mountain that becomes steeper with each step.
Assurance is the best way to break those chains that bind you! But assurance in modern times often comes with a cost that’s deeper than most victims’ wallets. Legal advice is an expensive investment, where a positive result isn’t guaranteed, putting the contestant at the risk of financial ruin.
Injustice from the halls of justice
Let’s keep general crimes aside for a moment. What about the crimes that stem from the agencies appointed to provide us protection – from the police, from governmental organisations? These don’t come under typical offences. In fact, they classify as fundamental rights violations. The Constitution itself guarantees our basic rights. The right to equality, freedom from arbitrary arrest, protection of personal liberty, and access to justice are all part of our fundamental rights. Sadly, when these rights are infringed upon by the very institutions entrusted to uphold them, people would feel the utmost sense of betrayal.
Reimagine access to justice with AI
According to the World Justice Project, based on a general population survey, 33 % of Sri Lankans facing a legal crisis did not know where to get legal advice. Furthermore, only 19% were able to receive legal aid. Alarmingly, of the 19%, the majority received such help from their friends or family. But what about those who don’t have favours up their sleeve? What becomes of them?
There are modern solutions to almost every problem, especially with the recent developments in artificial intelligence. However, when it comes to sensitive and volatile topics such as legal advice, can a general AI suffice? This has become a major concern in developing AI-based legal systems, as factors such as jurisdiction-based specialisation and the need to avoid hallucinations affect system reliability.
With the rising costs of legal aid, finding an affordable solution for the general public has become essential. The use of artificial intelligence is increasingly viewed as the most practical solution to bridge this gap. Cutting-edge technologies are now being used to overcome these hurdles, helping AI systems deliver advice that reflects local laws while significantly reducing the chances of errors or misinformation.
Himikama is an ongoing ACM-CHI targeted publication and project within the AI-legal domain, tackling the flaws in the amalgamation of artificial intelligence and timely legal aid.
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