Full Form
Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
Objective
To protect children from:
- Sexual assault
- Sexual harassment
- Pornographic exploitation
- Aggravated sexual offences
Child Under POCSO
A child means any person below 18 years of age.
Important Features
- Gender-neutral law — protects both boys and girls.
- Child-friendly procedures — child-friendly recording of evidence, investigation and trial.
- Mandatory reporting — any person having knowledge of a POCSO offence must report it to the authorities; failure to report is punishable.
- Confidentiality — the identity of the child must not be disclosed.