20% rise in POCSO cases this year in Karnataka

Ahna Prakash | NT

There is an increase in the number of POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) cases this year, as per the data provided by the Karnataka State Police website.

The state has reported 1,590 cases till July 2022, which is an increase of 20.5 per cent as compared to last year. Last year 1,261 POCSO cases were reported till July 2021. Out of the 1,590 cases reported in the state, Bengaluru recorded 244 cases, accounting for 16 per cent of the total cases.

Apoorva, Research Fellow at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, said that most of the cases still go unreported because of lack of awareness.

“Child sexual abuse is one of the most unreported categories of crimes. Consequently, the data doesn’t necessarily reflect an increase in the incidence of such crimes. In fact, often an increase in the number of reported cases might be attributed to increasing awareness among the general population about laws for the protection of children,” she said.

Reports also suggest that the conviction rate in Pocso cases is slow as there are only two fast-track trial courts in the state leading to many delayed cases.

“There is a provision under the Pocso Act that states that trials should be completed within one year from the date of cognizance. However, this is not happening. A large percentage of cases continue beyond one year and this leads to re-victimisation and re-traumatisation of the child victim who is forced to relive the traumatic events. Child victims are prevented from moving on with their lives when trials are delayed because they have to recount the details of the incident often years after its occurrence,” added Apoorva.

The latest data by NCRB has also reported 2,813 cases under Pocso in 2021. Karnataka ranks third in Pocso cases in India after Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

POCSO came into effect in 2012, with an aim of protecting children from sexual offences by introducing child-friendly mechanisms for reporting, recording evidence, investigation and trial of offences through special fast track courts.

“There is a lot that can be done. We are far from having a child friendly justice delivery system, one of the main objectives of the Pocso Act. Presently, I don’t think our institutions are truly child friendly,” opines Apoorva