NEW DELHI: To combat the rising cases of sexual abuse on children, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved amendments to fortify the POSCO Act by including death penalty for exacerbated sexual assault on children, besides providing severe punishment for other crimes against minors.
NEW DELHI: To combat the rising cases of sexual abuse on children, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved amendments to fortify the POSCO Act by including death penalty for exacerbated sexual assault on children, besides providing severe punishment for other crimes against minors.
The proposed changes and reforms in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act also provides penalty and imprisonment to curb child pornography. The change in the Law will address the need for severe measures against the rising trend of child sexual abuse in the country and resist the peril of relatively new kind of crimes. The Government emphasized that strong penal provisions will act as an obstacle to such heinous crimes.
The amendment intends to protect the interests of vulnerable children in times of distress and ensures their safety and dignity. The amendment is also aimed at establishing clarity regarding the aspects of child abuse and punishment thereof. The Government, in a statement said that the amendments in Section - 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 14, 15, 34, 42 and 45 of the POCSO Act, 2012 are being made to address the different aspects of child sexual abuse, appropriately.
"Section - 4, 5 and 6 are proposed to be amended to provide the option of stringent punishment, including the death penalty for committing sexual assault and aggravated penetrative sexual assault crime on a child, to protect children from sexual abuse. The amendments are also proposed in Section-9 to protect children from sexual offences in times of natural calamities and other similar situations, and in cases where children are administered, in any way, any hormone or any chemical substance to attain early sexual maturity for penetrative sexual assault," declared the Government.
"Section-14 and Section-15 of the POCSO Act, 2012 are also proposed to be amended to address the menace of child pornography. It is proposed to levy fine for not destroying or deleting or reporting pornographic material involving a child, to share or transmit it," stated the Government.
The proposed changes and reforms in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act also provides penalty and imprisonment to curb child pornography. The change in the Law will address the need for severe measures against the rising trend of child sexual abuse in the country and resist the peril of relatively new kind of crimes. The Government emphasized that strong penal provisions will act as an obstacle to such heinous crimes.
The amendment intends to protect the interests of vulnerable children in times of distress and ensures their safety and dignity. The amendment is also aimed at establishing clarity regarding the aspects of child abuse and punishment thereof. The Government, in a statement said that the amendments in Section - 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 14, 15, 34, 42 and 45 of the POCSO Act, 2012 are being made to address the different aspects of child sexual abuse, appropriately.
"Section - 4, 5 and 6 are proposed to be amended to provide the option of stringent punishment, including the death penalty for committing sexual assault and aggravated penetrative sexual assault crime on a child, to protect children from sexual abuse. The amendments are also proposed in Section-9 to protect children from sexual offences in times of natural calamities and other similar situations, and in cases where children are administered, in any way, any hormone or any chemical substance to attain early sexual maturity for penetrative sexual assault," declared the Government.
"Section-14 and Section-15 of the POCSO Act, 2012 are also proposed to be amended to address the menace of child pornography. It is proposed to levy fine for not destroying or deleting or reporting pornographic material involving a child, to share or transmit it," stated the Government.