Punjab sees 20% dip in child sex abuse cases in three yrs
The number of cases decreased to 389 in 2019 from 489 in 2017, according to data shared by the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation
Punjab has seen a drop of 20% in cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012, in three years.
The number of cases has decreased to 389 in 2019 from 489 in 2017, according to data shared by the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF) in its report titled ‘Status of Pocso Cases in India’ on Thursday. There were 392 victims in the cases registered under the Act in 2019 as against 493 in 2017.
The state witnessed the decrease during the period in which the total number of Pocso cases in the country increased from 32,608 cases in 2017 to 39,827(up 22%) in 2018 and further to 47,335 in 2019 (up 19%).
Cases registered under Pocso Act constituted 32% of the total crimes committed against children in 2019 and Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra registered the highest number of cases under the law. However, the state’s conviction rate in such cases of 36% was only slightly better than the national figure of 34% in 2019.
The non-governmental organisation’s report said that as per the Act, trials in such cases should be completed within a year but over 1.6 lakh cases of sexual abuse of children were pending trial in the courts across the country. “Data presented by the NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) in its ‘Crime in India’ report 2017-2019 shows that even though in terms of absolute numbers, the cases in which has been completed is increasing, yet the percentage of trials completed to the total cases for trials remains constant at 10%. By the end of 2019, the cases pending trial stood at 89% of the total cases for trial,” it said, stressing the need for more fast-track courts.
Last month, the Punjab government decided to set up nine more fast-track courts under the Pocso Act and constitute sexual assault response teams in all 27 police districts of the state to deal with such cases.