Child sexual abuse and the POCSO Act
POCSO protects every person under 18 from defined sexual offences, requires reporting and creates child-friendly procedures. Adults must protect and report—not investigate or negotiate privately.
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What this situation can include
- POCSO applies to a person below 18. The suspected person may be an adult or another young person, known or unknown, and may hold family, school, care, religious, medical or digital authority.
- Offending conduct can include sexual contact, penetration, making a child touch another person, sexual words or gestures, showing or requesting sexual material, sexual image creation, or repeated sexualised online contact within the Act's definitions.
- A child may freeze, comply, accept attention, delay disclosure or retract under pressure. Adult responsibility and the statutory age rule are not displaced by apparent cooperation.
What this may mean
Any person who apprehends or knows of a POCSO offence must provide information to the Special Juvenile Police Unit or local police as the Act requires. Good-faith reporting is protected; knowingly failing to report can be punishable under the Act, subject to its terms.
The child's statement should be recorded in child-friendly conditions. The Act and BNSS contain safeguards concerning place, manner, support, medical examination, identity and trial.
The Child Welfare Committee may address care and protection. POCSO Special Courts hear cases; institutional discipline cannot replace the statutory reporting route.
If safety may be urgent
- Separate access without confronting the suspected person in front of the child. Call 112 for immediate danger and 1098 for child-help coordination.
- Seek prompt healthcare for injury, pain, possible drugging or recent assault. Do not wash, examine or photograph the child's body yourself for evidence.
- Do not download or forward suspected child sexual material. Preserve identifiers and surrounding communication without reproducing it.
Possible next steps
Believe and stabilise
Thank the child, say it is not their fault, explain that help is needed for safety and stop access by the suspected person.
Record only spontaneous words
Write the child's exact words, date and context. Avoid repeated, leading or detailed questions and do not make the child demonstrate.
Report through the POCSO route
Contact the Special Juvenile Police Unit or local police and use 1098 for protection support. Share disability, language and communication needs.
What may happen after seeking help or reporting
- Police should follow child-friendly recording and investigate; a medical examination may be arranged where relevant. A support person or translator may be involved as law provides.
- The Child Welfare Committee can make care-and-protection directions where needed, while the Special Court handles the criminal case.
- The process may require more than one professional contact, but unnecessary repetition and exposure should be minimised.
Important limits and cautions
- Do not promise absolute secrecy. Share identity only with people and authorities needed for lawful protection; public identification of the child is restricted.
- Mandatory reporting does not authorise public accusation, family confrontation or private settlement.
- Signs such as fear, sleep change or sexualised behaviour have multiple causes and do not prove a particular person offended; a direct disclosure still requires the proper response.
Words a supporter can use
First words after a child discloses
“Thank you for telling me. I believe you. You did not cause this and you are not in trouble. I need help from people whose job is to keep children safe, so I cannot keep it only between us. You do not need to tell me everything again.”
What institutions must do
Report, protect and preserve education
- Stop access, follow statutory reporting, protect identity, preserve records and avoid internal interrogation or reputation-led settlement.
Use every child-friendly safeguard
- Follow POCSO and BNSS requirements for recording, protection, medical process, communication access, support and privacy.
Related issue guides
Sources and publication record
Reviewed and approved by the project team · Sources checked . Reviewed and approved by the project team against the official sources listed on this page. This is general legal information, not advice for an individual proceeding.
- Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012India Code, Legislative Department
- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023India Code, Legislative Department
- Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015India Code, Legislative Department
- Child Helpline 1098Ministry of Women and Child Development
- Emergency Response Support System 112Ministry of Home Affairs
- Free legal services and National Legal Aid Helpline 15100National Legal Services Authority