More number of cases pertaining to child sexual assault and child abuse are being reported now due to the enforcement of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) A. Myilvaganan said on Monday. Combined efforts of the State government, non-governmental organisations, child right activists and other stakeholders had resulted in the framing and enforcement of the POCSO Act, Mr. Myilvaganan said.
He was speaking at an awareness workshop on POCSO Act for child welfare officers of the city police, non-governmental organisations and representatives of childcare institutions here organised on the occasion of the Children’s Day.
The POCSO Act was a special act against sexual assault committed on children, he said adding that there no such exclusive Act earlier.
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In today’s world, there were also instances of minor boys being subjected to sexual abuse, the Deputy Commissioner said adding that this percentage was, however, less as compared to such offences being committed on minor girls.
Although there have been occurrences of offences committed on minor girls earlier, such cases were increasingly coming out now after the enforcement of the POCSO Act.
Children were under different kinds of stress today which was a big challenge. On many occasions cases relating to sexual assault on girls had been reported on those aged between 14 and 15 years. The Deputy Commissioner advised the girl students who had turned up for the programme to realise their innate strength and capabilities to come out with flying colours in their career.
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Assistant Commissioner of Police, City Crime Records Bureau, Tiruchi, C. Periyaiah said 10 POCSO Act cases had been booked in Tiruchi City Police limits during the current year.
He said 113 children who had either run away from their homes or found wandering in public places were rescued by the police and reunited with their near ones.
J. Godwin Prem Singh, Director, Childline Nodal Bishop Heber College said Childline had been functioning in 31 States across the country.
The organisation was working in 93 towns and cities within Tamil Nadu. Sr. Josephine Chinna Rani, Director, Childline Collab SOC SEAD, F. Samuel Christopher, Vice Principal, Bishop Heber College and S. Isaiah, Bursar, Bishop Heber College spoke on the occasion.
The child welfare officers and chief functionaries of child care institutions were sensitised to the POCSO Act, its salient features, offences under POCSO, quantum of punishment for sexual assault and harassment and concerns for the Childline.