POCSO Full Form
What is the full form of POCSO?
The full form of POCSO is “Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses”. This Act has been introduced to protect children from sexual assault, and sexual harassment and provide the establishment of special courts for the trial of such offences and related incidents. The protection of children from sexual offences bill was introduced in 2019 in Rajya Sabha by the Minister of women and children development MS. Smriti Zubin Irani on July 18 2019.
- What is the full form of POCSO?
- Salient features of POCSO act
- Major Takeaways for the POCSO Act
POCSO includes cases where the child has been abused by someone in a position of trust in the child. If an adult is aware of these cases but does not report them they can be jailed for 6 months or charged a fine. This Act reports false cases and false information and punishes the child traffickers who complained of sexual harassment and more.
Salient features of POCSO act
The salient features of the POCSO act and its amendments are as follows:
The POCSO act is applicable to all irrespective of gender.
This act is responsible for the child welfare and ensures physical and social development of the child.
The POCSO act defines a child as any individual who is less than 18 years of age and ensures the well-being of a child.
It reports different types of sexual abuses, such as sexual harassment and other related activities.
People who traffic children for sexual purposes are also punishable under the provisions relating to amendment in the Act.
The Act prescribes serious punishment graded as per the gravity of the offence, with a maximum term of rigorous imprisonment for life.
Major Takeaways for the POCSO Act
The major takeaways from the POCSO Act are listed below:
Any children's housing institution is required to maintain the regular police verification and background checking of all the employees who are interacting with the child.
It states that every institution should give special training and conduct awareness programs on child safety and their protection.
POCSO adopts a child protection policy which states that no need to tolerate any actions against the children.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The minimum punishment of the POCSO Act of 2012 is three years. This act is subjected to the section under the crime in which it is falling. According to section 4, the minimum punishment is 20 years in jail and charged a fine which was decoded by the court for sexual assault of a child below 16 years of age.
The children are affected a lot by the POCSO Act. A child who is sexually abused faces various consequences such as cognitive impairment, violent and risky behaviour and also includes depression and anxiety. The children also feel shame and guilt with poor interpersonal relations and self-esteem are the other consequences of sexually abused children.
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, is a comprehensive law in India designed to protect children from sexual abuse, harassment, and exploitation. It provides for stringent punishments for offenders and mandates the establishment of Special Courts for the trial of such offences to ensure child-friendly procedures. Key constitutional provisions under the POCSO Act include the right to a fair trial, the right to protection against exploitation, and the right to be treated with dignity and respect, in line with Articles 14 (Equality before the law), 15 (Prohibition of discrimination), 21 (Protection of life and personal liberty), and 39 (Directive Principles of State Policy) of the Indian Constitution. For detailed guidance on the legal aspects and implementation of the POCSO Act, Invicta Career Consultancy can offer expert advice and support tailored to your needs.
The main objectives of POCSO are:
To protect the children from offences
Sexual harassment and sexual assault
Pornography
To establish special courts for speedy trial of such offences.
POCSO Act 2012 promises every child has a right to lead a life. This act was enabled when there is an increase in the cases of sexual abuse against the children.This act also includes procedures and provisions used for the implementation of those laws that are related to the protection of children from these cases.