Trained Support System Vital For Child Abuse Law

Nov 19, 2011

CHENNAI: As the country marks World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse on Saturday, child rights activists are eagerly looking forward to the winter session of Parliament slated to begin on November 22.

Among the bills that are pending for consideration and passing this time is the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Bill, 2011. The Bill prescribes punishment of rigorous imprisonment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault for not less than 10 years and demands that special courts be set up for speedy trial of child abuse cases. However, activists say that while a law is welcome, it needs to be supported by adequately trained personnel to be implemented effectively.

Pointing out that it was imperative for health care professionals to be trained in medical detection of child abuse, activists said it was necessary to introduce such a module in their course of study. Vidya Reddy of Tulir - Center for Prevention and Healing Child Sexual Abuse, said the state police have taken the initiative in this regard. "The police department has started a course for officers called 'Investigating sexual offences against children'. They are getting there but the biggest bottleneck is the court procedure. Most judicial officers are not even aware of guidelines drawn up by the Supreme Court to hold trials of child abuse cases," she said. While the Supreme Court had framed the guidelines on the conduct of child abuse cases in 2004 on a PIL filed by 'Sakshi', an NGO working for women's and community welfare, these were reiterated by a bench of Justices A P Shah and K Chandru in their order two years later.

Among its recommendations, the bench laid down that for victims of child abuse and rape, a screen or some such arrangement should be made where the victim or witnesses (who may be as vulnerable as the victim) do not see the accused; victims of child abuse cases should be allowed sufficient breaks while giving testimony in court; questions put in cross-examination on behalf of the accused, in so far as they relate directly to the incident, should be given in writing to the presiding officer of the court, who may put them to the victim or witnesses in a language which is clear and not embarrassing to her.

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Nite, Thank you so much for the above post. This is VITAL and I appreciate you bringing it to our attention.

I am going to make this a "sticky" for all to readily see.