Sex crimes against kids see 115 per cent spurt in 3 years

Mumbai: There was a 115 per cent spurt in Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) cases registered in 2016 in comparison to the corresponding figure three years ago in 2013.  The rise has been attributed to the fact that complainants are now approaching the police fearlessly to seek punishment for those harassing their children.

In 2013, there were 422 cases, which rose to 908 in 2016. Since the Act was formulated in June 2012, there has been a steady rise in the cases registered by the Mumbai police. In 2012, the figure was a mere two.

Pravin Kumar Patil, DCP (Enforcement) said the increase in number of registered cases should be attributed to the fact that complainants are proactive in filing cases. “Earlier, complainants which in these cases are mostly parents or close relatives would be wary of approaching the police and registering an FIR. They would fear social stigma and would instead choose to forget about the incident and advise their kids to do so too. But times are changing now,” he said.

According to data accessed by The Asian Age, the city saw two cases registered in 2012, incidentally the year the Pocso Act was brought into place. Since the formulation of the Act, the city has seen an increase every year in the number of Pocso cases registered. In 2013, 422 cases were registered, while 2014 saw 678 cases, 2015 saw 803 cases and last year saw 908 cases being registered — a total of 2,813 cases in the last five years. Year 2017, till January 8 has seen four cases of minors being raped registered under section 376 of the IPC and under Pocso.

Mr Patil further said, “They are aware of the complications of hiding such cases and especially the mental trauma a child victim goes through and that becomes their driving force. They want to punish people who have molested, raped or sexually assaulted their children. Hence the increase in number of registered cases.”

Incidentally, the Mumbai police, taking note of the increase in cases, began the Police Didi initiative. The move trained 93 police officers, most of them women, to act as a one-stop person to educate children against sexual predators and also make them comfortable enough to approach the authorities in case they experience an assault.