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Did you know that in 2021, 33,503 children were reported as victims of rape in India? Nearly half of them—49%—were between 16 and 18 years old. The POCSO Act exists to protect children from sexual offences, but law alone is not enough—awareness, vigilance, and community support are crucial to truly safeguard children.

POCSO Guide

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We partnered with students from the Srishti Institute of Art, Design, and Technology to create this guide on POCSO.

How can this guide help you?

This guide is a concise resource about Child Sexual Abuse and aims to help you understand the legal provisions under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 — a specific law that addresses this issue.

It outlines the types of child sexual abuse and also details the punishments for various offenses.

You’ll also find information on:

  • Reporting abuse
  • Child-friendly procedures in court, including how a child’s statement should be recorded
  • The consequences of filing false reports

What laws are discussed in this guide?

The laws covered in this guide include:

  • The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012
  • The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015

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