Bengaluru: Another incident of sexual assault on a four-year-old has again shocked the city. The issue of sexual abuse of children and adolescents is a complex problem that calls for
immediate attention.
The abuse of children and adolescents is an ongoing complex international problem that needs immediate attention. Despite the issue being open to debate and discussion, with periodic assurances by the government, the city was shocked by another sexual assault on an innocent four-year-old.
The horrific incident focuses again on the weak implementation of the Child Rights’Act. “This recent incident reminds us yet again of how we are letting down the children of our city. This heinous incident follows on the heels of a slew of similar incidents of sexual assault against children in schools in Bengaluru over the last two years. They are an unfortunate testimony to the continuing insensitivity, indifference and negligence of the government, who is responsible for the safety of every child and citizen in the State,” says MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
This, despite the best intentions and plans, as well as two comprehensive Legislations for the protection of children, The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012, instances of child abuse have been known to occur in our schools, children’s homes and other childcare institutions, and even in the child’s own home. “It is sad to have to say this, but I am no longer surprised at the news about child sexual abuse because it has become a predictable practice. But prior to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO Act) 2012, we rarely heard such news, hence it is good news.”
Speaking about this trend of abuse which is only increasing. Rajeev adds, “As pointed out by the police, the school had failed to conduct background checks on the staff they hired, including on the accused PT Teacher who was later arrested for the crime. Had the Government acted on my suggestions, including that of mandatory verification of staff, this crime could have been prevented. The government is squarely responsible for allowing the crime to be perpetrated.”
Says NV Vasudeva Sharma, Executive Director, Child Rights Trust: “Sadly, we are still grappling with the solutions. On the one hand we talk about punishments and life imprisonment but how do you change the mindset of such people? It is time that we start working with the youth with this in mind and initiate preventive programs,”
Child sexual abuse (CSA) which has been a hidden problem in India, (largely ignored in public discourse) and overlooked by the criminal justice system, has now gained a lot of attention because of the increase in such cases being reported.
“What we need is that every organisation, company, institution, whether directly working with children or not, should have a child rights’ protection policy just like salary policy, leave policy and other such policies and employees should be educated. Along with this, background checks need to be a very important protocol and recording the antecedents of the person should be ensured,” says Vasudev. He adds, “Parents should also ask whether the schools have a child rights’ protection policy in place, because all schools are good until such crimes happen in them. So why wait?”
Startling facts
- 6816 convictions were made under the POCSO Act between November 2012 and March 2015
- This means that about 8 cases of child sexual abuse are reported daily
- Of the accused, only 166 convictions have been made, whereas 389 accused have been acquitted
- Every 5th child is subjected to obscenity and sexual assault
- Every two hours a child under 16 is raped in India
- A child under 10 years is raped every 13th hour
- 1 out of 2 children report face some form of child sexual abuse
Karnataka-related issues as highlighted through Parliamentary questions:
(Highlighted by Rajeev Chandrasekhar)
- PQ dated 12.03.2015 – Victim Compensation Fund Under POCSO Act
- Cases registered in Karnataka: 515 (upto Dec 2014)
- PQ dated 07.05.2015 – Increase in Orphan Population in Bengaluru
- No fact finding study done by the Government to find the number of orphans in Bengaluru
- PQ dated 12.04.2014 – Special Juvenile Police Units
- No. of SPJUs in the country and state-wise: Not available with the Ministry
- The Govt does not maintain any records of the lack of SPJUs I certain districts in India
- PQ dated 07.08.2014 – Women and Child Helplines
- No study undertaken by the Govt on the functioning of women and child helplines
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