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.
