POCSO e-Button

An online complaint box for reporting child sexual abuse, the POCSO e-Box was recently launched.

About POCSO e- Box:

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO), e-Box, is an online complaint management system for easy and direct reporting of sexual offences against children and timely action against the offenders under the POCSO Act, 2012.

• E-Box is very simple to operate and will help to maintain the confidentiality of the complaint.

How a complaint is registered?

The e-Box is incorporated in the home page of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) website http://ncpcr.gov.in/ where a user has to simply push a button named POSCO e-Box.

• This will navigate to a page with a window containing an animation movie. The animation movie reassures the child that whatever has happened to him/her is not his/her fault and she/he need not feel guilty and that NCPCR is a friend which will help her.
• After the user presses the arrow on this page, it navigates to another page where he/ she has to select at least one picture option (describing the category of harassment) and fill the form with details such as mobile number, e-mail and description of the harassment followed by the ‘submit’ button. The complaint is then registered and a unique auto-generated complaint number is flashed.

Background:

Sexual offences against children are rampant but only a small percentage gets reported. According to a study, about 53% of children surveyed, reported having faced one or the other form of sexual abuse in their lifetime. 

• In most cases, the offender is a family member/near relative or an acquaintance. 
• The child victim in such cases generally does not report these offences. Sexual abuse scars the psyche of the affected child for entire life. 
• A child who is sexually abused has to face very serious consequences such as cognitive impairment, violent and risk behaviour including depression and anxiety. 
• Feeling shame and guilt with poor interpersonal relationship & self esteem are other consequences of sexually abused children.

About POCSO Act:

Being concerned about offences against children, the Government enacted POCSO Act, 2012 to protect them from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography, while safeguarding the interest of the child at every stage of the judicial process.

• This is achieved by incorporating child friendly mechanisms for reporting, recording of evidence, investigation and speedy trial of offences through designated Special Courts.
• Any human being up to the age of 18 years is recognised as a child under the POCSO Act.