India: Over 100,000 crimes against children reported in 2016
According to a 2007 study conducted by India's ministry of women and child development, 53% of children surveyed said they had been subjected to some form of sexual abuse. Photo: AFP
(Web Desk) – A new report released in India by The National Crime Records Bureau indicates that the country has seen a steady rise in the incidents of offenses against children.
Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi released a report on crimes in India for 2016. According to the BBC, the report indicated that 106,958 cases of crimes against children were recorded in 2016. Of these, 36,022 cases were recorded under Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act.
Child sexual abuse was highlighted in India, when a 10-year-old girl was raped and later forced to give birth hit the headlines. Two of her uncles were sentenced to life in jail for raping her.
India is home to the largest number of sexually abused children in the world, but there is a general reluctance to talk about the social issue, the real numbers could be much higher than the number of cases recorded by the police, reported the BBC.
According to a 2007 study conducted by India s ministry of women and child development, 53% of children surveyed said they had been subjected to some form of sexual abuse.
Campaigners say most of the abusers are people known to the victims, like parents, relatives and schoolteachers.
