Tread cautiously in reporting rape: Supreme Court to media

The Supreme Court observations were made as it lifted the ban imposed by the Patna high court on August 23 on media reporting in the Muzaffarpur shelter home case, where at least 30 girls were allegedly raped and sexually abused over a period of time.

There cannot be a blanket ban on reporting on sexual abuse and rape cases but, at the same time, the media should tread cautiously while writing on such incidents, the Supreme Court said on Thursday.

The Supreme Court said that there cannot be a blanket ban on reporting on sexual abuse and rape cases, but at the same time, the media should tread cautiously while writing on such incidents. (HT File Photo)

The observations were made by a bench of justices MB Lokur and Deepak Gupta as it lifted the ban imposed by the Patna high court on August 23 on media reporting in the Muzaffarpur shelter home case, where at least 30 girls were allegedly raped and sexually abused over a period of time.

Justice Lokur “requested both print and electronic media” not to sensationalise incidents of sexual assault.