Cases Under POCSO Act
The data of total number of State/UTs wise (including Kerala) cases registered, cases charge-sheeted, cases convicted, persons arrested, persons charge-sheeted and persons convicted under POCSO Act, 2012 as provided by National Crime Record Bureau is annexed.
The POCSO Act, 2012 was amended in 2019 to introduce more stringent punishment including death penalty for committing sexual crimes on children, with a view to deter the perpetrators & prevent such crimes against children. Further, Ministry of Women & Child Development notified new POCSO Rules, 2020 replacing the previous POCSO Rules, 2012. POCSO Rules, 2020 include provisions for mandatory police verification of staff in schools and care homes, procedures to report child sexual abuse material (pornography), imparting age-appropriate child rights education, among other things. The POCSO Rules 2020 also stipulate that the central government and every state government shall provide periodic training including orientation programmes, sensitization workshops and refresher courses to all persons, whether regular or contractual, coming in contact with the children, to sensitize them about child safety and protection and educate them regarding their responsibility under the Act.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
