Vijayawada: POCSO victims to get aid, support under Nirbhaya Fund

Vijayawada: The victims of Prevention of Children from sexual offences (POCSO) cases will get help and aid from the Union government under Nirbhaya Fund.

The Ministry of Women &Child Development (MWCD) has asked States to send proposals under Nirbhaya Fund for critical care and support to POCSO victims.

Nirbhaya scheme aims at providing shelter, food and daily needs, safe transportation for attending court hearings and legal aid to minor girls, who have been abandoned by their family due to forced pregnancy, either due to rape / gang rape or due to any other reason, and have no other means to support themselves.

In 2021, the National Crime Records Bureau reported 51,863 cases under the POCSO Act in the country. Out of these, 64 per cent (33,348) cases were reported under sections 3 and 5 (penetrative sexual assault and aggravated penetrative sexual assault respectively). Further analysis of this data shows that out of total 33,348 cases reported under sections 3 and 5 of the Act, 99 per cent (33,036) cases were committed against girls. In many of these cases, girls become pregnant and bear several physical and mental health concerns, which are further aggravated when they are disowned or abandoned by their own families or are orphans.

According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the government sanctioned Rs 74.10 crore to help POCSO victims.

The scheme’s objective is to provide integrated support and assistance to girl child victims under one roof and to facilitate immediate, emergency and non-emergency access to a range of services including access to education, police assistance, medical (also comprising maternity, neo-natal and infant care), psychological and mental counselling, legal support and insurance cover for the girl child victim and her new-born to enable access to justice and rehabilitation of such girl child victims.

The eligibility criteria for the scheme is any girl aged below 18 years, who is a victim of Penetrative Sexual Assault and has become pregnant due to such assault or rape. Such a girl child victim should be an orphan or, abandoned by the family or does not wish to live with the family. It is not mandatory for the girl child victim to have a copy of the FIR for availing the benefits under the scheme. However, it shall be the responsibility of the persons responsible for the implementation of the scheme to ensure that information is provided to the police and that FIR is registered.

Child Care Institutions were given some guidelines to follow to help the victims of POCSO. The person in charge of the Home shall provide a separate safe space for the girl child as her needs are different from other children residing in the Home. A case worker shall be immediately designated or appointed by the person in charge of taking care of the girl child.

Separate funds shall be provided to the Home (Childcare institution) for the care and protection of the girl. Under Mission Vatsalya, guidelines provisions of dedicated CCIs for POCSO victims will also be made for proper rehabilitation and for support of POCSO victims.