THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Experts believe an obsession with sexual acts involving children is the major cause of offences pertaining to POCSO. Some argue that the degeneration of society as a whole is also a causative factor. However, at least some cases can be avoided with timely help and an understanding of mental health.
Psychologist Prakash Chandra said, "Mainly people with obsessive tendencies get obsessed with the idea. They might have been sexually stimulated while with a child. This causes them to obsess over it. Pornography also plays a major role. Some of these people also show exhibitionist tendencies. I recently had a 23-year-old patient who started getting sexually obsessed with children, after he got stimulated while keeping his sister's child on his lap. After that, he continued the act with all the kids. One of his cousins noticed his behaviour and brought him here."
The psychologist says a lot of these cases are not registered. "Not all numbers are listed, nor are all registered ones actual offences. I have also encountered people intentionally trying to frame someone for a POCSO offence. And many cases go unreported. A mother recently approached me saying her younger daughter aged four was being abused by her father. She did not think much when he showed an interest in bathing his children. Their older daughter is 10. She distanced herself from her father a lot as she grew up. The mother had caught the father in the act. Now, they are separated. She was hesitant to report the incident. Abuse is not new. People are more aware now and they talk," said Prakash.
There is no gender for sexual abuse either. "One of my patients, who is 28 now, was sexually abused by his 60-year-old aunt since he was 12. The man said the woman now abuses his 13-year-old cousin," he added.
Educationist Jaffar Khan believes a societal degeneration is the major cause of such cases. "We have lost sight of many things in life. Pornography addiction, social media platforms and other ways in which such acts are normalised play a crucial role. No serious and appropriate warning is given even in movies which show such extreme situations. We can thwart it in many ways. We need to educate society, give more fields of interests and also keep a keen eye on the kids as they grow," he said.