Two 13-year-old girls studying in Class 9 at a government school sit to talk during the lunch break after attending a ‘safe touch-unsafe touch’ class. Bhavani apprehensively tells her friend, Lakshmi, that her father has been behaving inappropriately toward her.
Lakshmi takes a minute to overcome her panic and informs her teacher about what Bhavani told her. The teacher swiftly summons the health staff and the police to investigate. Medical tests reveal that Bhavani is pregnant.
Meanwhile, the police registered an FIR against the father, learning that the 35-year-old man had been sexually abusing his two daughters, Bhavani and her 9-year-old sister.
The doctors find that Bhavani’s pregnancy has exceeded the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) period. Left with no choice, Bhavani had to continue the pregnancy.
The incident of sexual abuse of children, which occurred in the year 2020 in Andhra Pradesh, shook the public consciousness when it came to light. But, what followed was a testimony of the impact that State intervention and support can have in giving survivors of child sexual abuse the strength to overcome trauma, says Rani (name changed), the counsellor from the health department, as she recalled the immense resilience and grit Bhavani showed over the last five years.
“It was obviously a tough task for Bhavani. She spent sleepless nights crying. Her mother, who was bedridden when the abuse was reported, died soon after. Bhavani was left without basic support from the primary family group,” says Rani.
Helpline Number
The police, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Child Welfare Committee (CWC) took prompt action. The perpetrator was jailed. Bhavani’s paternal aunt came forward to support her nieces even as the 13-year-old endured the added agony of an unwanted pregnancy and gave the baby up for adoption.
The government gave the survivor ₹5 lakh in compensation, and all her doctors and health care professionals who helped her persevere after the atrocity applauded Bhavani when she rejoined her school. Four years later, Bhavani is all set to pursue B.Sc Nursing in a noted college, says Rani, her eyes welling up as she remembered the teenager’s extreme struggle.
“It is not easy [for survivors] to believe in people, regain focus and achieve success in life after facing such atrocity”Counsellor, Health Department
“It is not easy [for survivors] to believe in people, regain focus and achieve success in life after facing such atrocity,” she says.
Severity of POCSO
According to statistics obtained from the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) in Andhra Pradesh, 975 cases of the Protection of Child from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 were reported across the State in 2024.
The data provided by the Women & Child Welfare Department reveals that during 2023, as many as 1,173 were booked under the POCSO Act, as against 1957 in 2022 and 1,331 in 2021.
The data reveals that 99 people have been convicted under the POCSO Act in Andhra Pradesh since 2020. As many as 29 people were convicted in 2023, compared to 26 cases in 2022, 20 cases in 2021, and 24 cases in 2020.
A senior advocate from Visakhapatnam says that in most cases, the survivor’s family prefer to settle with compensation and start a new life. There are also cases where the survivors are forced by their families to marry their perpetrators, who may agree just so they can stay out of jail. He says only a few of the total registered cases reach the courts. “Compared to other crimes, the judiciary’s approach towards POCSO cases is speedy. Many cases are resolved within one or two years,” he adds.
Sakhi One-Stop Centre
‘Sakhi One-Stop Centre’ was established at the King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam of Andhra Pradesh in 2019 to assist women and child survivors of sexual assault, rape and other crimes. On average, the cell receives 30 cases in a month, says Saranya, a Ph.D scholar and cell coordinator.
“We ensure the survivor gets proper medical treatment, medication, accommodation and counselling. The cell also follows up on the survivor’s recovery,” she adds.
“It is important to provide a safe environment for children to grow,” she stresses.
“Most of the survivors of child sexual abuse approach us for treatment much later after the crime has been committed. Most of them do not cooperate with treatment and display unwillingness to talk about the abuse. Some survivors, unfortunately, also struggle with guilt as they begin to take the responsibility for the crime upon themselves”N.N. RajuPsychiatrist, former head of Government Hospital for Mental Care
Noted psychiatrist and former head of Government Hospital for Mental Care, N.N. Raju, says, “Most of the survivors of child sexual abuse approach us for treatment much later after the crime has been committed. They tend to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and undergo a lot of depression, irritation, shock, vexation, anger and loneliness. Most of them do not cooperate with treatment and display unwillingness to talk about the abuse. Some survivors, unfortunately, also struggle with guilt as they begin to take the responsibility for the crime upon themselves,” he says.
Due to PTSD, the survivors sometimes panic when they enter crowded places and prefer to stay isolated. Dr. Raju adds that some of them do not even open up with their family members.
He, however, says that some survivors recover from the trauma within three to six months. “In the first few months, we focus on counselling. Most of the survivors recover well. But if they continue to show signs of depression for more than six months, we treat them with drugs,” Dr. Raju adds.
Nevertheless, Shailaja, a senior counsellor from the health department, stresses the impact of social stigma on the survivors of sexual abuse. “There are many incidents where the survivors, along with their families, move to another town or city to get away from the people who see them only as victims because of the social stigma,” she says.
A survivor to whom I provided counselling was sexually assaulted by a family member when she was only 15. Now she is 20, married, a homemaker and a mother of a two-year-old girl. However, she still feels panic whenever she’s alone and does not travel alone. She also has difficulty in trusting men,” Shailaja said.
Rescue and protection services
Visakhapatnam Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Chairperson M.R.L. Radha informs that once a child sexual abuse case is reported, the police initiate an investigation and submit Form A and B copies. These forms include details about the case and the survivor’s needs, such as medical help, compensation, or both. Based on the severity of the case, we decide whether to take custody of the survivor or allow her to stay with the family.
In cases of a Child in Need of Care and Protection (CNPC), the mother provides a letter of approval, and the department protects both the mother and the child. She says the child will then be moved to the ‘Sakhi One-Stop Centre’.
“In cases where the survivor is a new mother and does not accept her child, the infant will be moved to ‘Sishu Griha’ by taking a surrender letter. After three months, we ask the mother, and if she still does not want to take custody, the baby will be moved for adoption,” Ms. Radha explains.
Gondu Sitharam, a member of AP SCPCR, said that since 2022, over 1,400 applications have been registered for adoption of children.
A senior police officer from the city said that trials in the POCSO Act cases generally turn tough for some victims. Though the proceedings are in-camera and access is restricted, it would be hard for the survivors to recall the trauma.
(Names of survivors, children changed to protect identity)
(Edited by Anupama M.)
Published - February 07, 2025 08:25 am IST
