What is the Full Form of POSCO

POSCO: Protection Of Children From Sexual Offences

POSCO stands for Protection of Children from Sexual Offences. To protect children from all forms of sexual abuse, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act of 2012 was passed (the "POSCO Act, 2012"). The United Nations adopted the "Convention on the Rights of the Child" in 1989, but India did not implement any legislation to address crimes against children until 2012. It imposes harsh punishments for crimes committed against children, ranging from a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison to the execution of offenders in aggravated penetrative sexual assault situations.

What Is The Need For The POSCO Act, 2012?

The Goa's Children's Act, 2003 and Rules, 2004 was the only piece of law in India before the implementation of the POSCO Act, 2012, that sought to safeguard a child's rights. Sections 375, 354, and 377 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, define child sexual abuse as an offense. Both the modesty and protection from sexual abuse of male children are not covered by these regulations. The Code does not define phrases like "modesty" and "unnatural offense."

It was crucial to draught a statute that specifically addresses the issue of rising child sexual abuse cases in the nation because there was no relevant legislation at the time. POSCO Act 2012 was implemented on November 14, 2012, thanks to the work of numerous NGOs, activists, and the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

POSCO Act: Its Goal

In India, there are several laws that deal with the subject of sexual abuse of children, in addition to the POSCO Act, of 2012. The Criminal Procedure Code of 1973, the Indian Penal Code, of 1860, the Juvenile Justice Act, and the Information Technology Act, of 2000 all have provisions that overlap, cover the same processes, and define the same offenses; as a result, the POSCO Act cannot be regarded as a complete code in and of itself.

Application Of The POSCO Act, 2012

The POSCO Act of 2012 has 46 sections. Although it was published in the official gazette on June 20, 2012, it didn't go into effect until November 14, 2012, which begs the question of whether it applies to situations from before that date. When crimes against children are committed, the Act specifies the punishment. The definition of a child is found in Section 2(1)(d) of the POSCO Act. "Any person below the age of eighteen" is considered to be a "child." This means that crimes against individuals below 18 are included in the POSCO Act.

The Importance Of POSCO Act, 2012

1. Child sexual abuse charges rose when the POSCO Act of 2012 passed. It offers guidelines for shielding kids from sexual abuse and pornography and details the procedure for enforcing those laws.
2. There is no area where children are guaranteed safe from sexual abuse; incidents happen in schools, churches, parks, hostels, etc. A separate piece of law that may provide a strong foundation for lowering the incidence of such offenses and punishing those who conduct them was necessary for light of these new risks.
3. The Law has been significant in emphasizing children's safety and rights and building a strong legal framework for people who have experienced sexual abuse. As a result of increased awareness, there has been an increase in the reporting of cases of child sexual abuse. The Act imposes penalties for both non-penetrative and severe penetrative sexual assault.

Implications Of The POSCO Act

Some of the most important components of a POSCO Act that are mentioned include the following:

• In pursuance of Section 23 of the POSCO Act, the child victim's identity must be kept private until the Special Court has given authorization for disclosure. Section 23 states that no information on a kid, including his name, address, portrait, family details, school, neighborhood, or other information that might betray the child's identity, may be revealed in the medium. This fixes one of the clauses of the Indian Penal Codes main flaws.
• Anyone younger than 18 years old is included in the definition of a child, and in some instances, women have even been found guilty of child sexual assault by juries.
• The need to report child abuse incidents. Elders often try to conceal instances of sexual assault in private because of the stigma associated with these acts. Therefore, to properly implement the POSCO Act in line with Articles 19 to 22 of the POSCO Act, reporting these incidents by third persons with information of or suspicion of such offenses is essential.