NEW DELHI: Here’s news which Delhiites will not be proud of. Cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act have nearly doubled in 2018 as compared to the corresponding year in the city.
Worse, the Delhi Police data for this year cover till November 30, meaning the chances of the number going further up are always there. For now, the national capital reported about 165 cases under the POCSO Act, up from 88 in the last year.
Delhi Police spokesperson Madhur Verma attributes the rise in the number of cases to more and more people coming out to report abuses committed against minors. “The Delhi Police encourages registration. We immediately book the offender under relevant sections of the POCSO Act. Over the period of time, awareness has come and the people are reporting more,” he said.
Another point which Verma raised is that the cases registered under the POCSO Act comprise all sorts of sexual offences against children such as molestation, and not just heinous crimes.
According to the data with the Delhi Police, only one case under this Act was reported in 2012. The numbers have fluctuated over the years - 136 such cases in 2013, 107 in 2014, 86 in 2015, 75 in 2016, 88 in 2017, and 165 in 2018 (till Nov. 30) .
In more than 90 per cent of the cases, Verma said, the offender is known to the victim’s family in some way or the other such as a neighbour, a relative or a friend.
For example, a three-year-old girl was raped by her neighbour when she was alone in her house on December 16. Two days later, a seven-year-old girl was violated by her neighbour in Delhi’s Gazipur locality. Both cases were registered under the POCSO Act.
Verma mentioned a number of schemes and initiatives to encourage reporting and also to spread awareness. “We have various schemes like Pehchaan Kaun and Parivartan involving female officers to spread the message of children’s safety. We are proactively engaging with local communities so that the people take care of their children. These crimes are reported when both the parents are working and are not at home, especially in JJ clusters. We have written to the government for crèches to start in these areas. For school children’s safety, we are working with schools,” he said.
According to psychologist Nimesh G. Desai, this trend should be also taken positively as the people are now coming out and reporting. “There is a universal tendency to cover up (crimes). Largely, the increase in numbers is only indicative of acceptance and better reporting. Only with acceptance, you can find solutions. This is a desirable good trend.”
“These sorts of crimes have always been happening in a number larger than the one reported. And it will certainly go up in the coming years.”
The psychologist stressed that the solutions would come out only if such cases were not covered up. Desai listed vicarious sexual needs of people in position, their proximity to the victims; and the vulnerability of the young kids as the prime reasons of such crimes.
“The impunity that one will get away with it is another reason. Once we send the message that you can’t get away with it is when things will change,” he added.
Desai stressed on having a swift justice delivery system, enhanced monitoring among measures to check such crimes. His suggestions found the support of Verma, who added that it could be true that cases were underreported, “but it is our policy to register such cases and take immediate action”.