POSCO ACT, 2012

Background:

• The POCSO Act, 2012 was enacted to Protect the Children from Offences of Sexual Assault, Sexual harassment and pornography for safeguarding the well-being of children.
  
  
• The Act defines a child as any person below 18 years of age.
  
  
• The act is gender neutral.
  
  

Amendment: Salient Features

The amendments are proposed to –

• provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for committing aggravated penetrative sexual assault crime on a child.
  
  
• protect children from sexual offences in times of natural calamities and disasters.
  
  
• protect children in cases where children are administered any chemical substance, to attains early sexual maturity for the purpose of penetrative sexual assault.
  
  
• to address the menace of the child pornography. Penal provisions have been made more stringent for storing/possessing any pornographic material in any form involving a child for commercial purpose.