PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCES AND OFFENCES OF OBSCENE MATERIAL ON THE INTERNET – LEGAL PROVISIONS

Abstract

This research paper talks about the impact of sexual offences on people, how such offences affect the lives of young children and leads to re-victimization of the affected children. Not only children but many other people young or adult or middle aged get affected with the negative impacts. Transmission of obscene material all over the internet through various electronic forms has also become common and a topic of issue causing deaths and suicides. Obscene Material travelling through the Internet is not a new piece of information. People have referred them and shared them in varied electronic platforms. With modernization of societies and dynamic changes pornography has become common as well. But what effects are they causing on the children and the young generation that are expected to be the future of India? There are laws for the removal of such content from any source available, there are laws that state such acts to be of illegal in nature and punishments for the same. Many young children become victims of child pornography and the issues goes unnoticed due to ignorance and fear caused due to threats. Children are even suffering with sexual abuses, harassments, and assaults. In some cases, it even happens because of their own family members. With the evolution of social cultures and dynamic changes, many laws have been amended in India such as the decriminalization of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code with response to the growing support for the people of the LGBTQ+ community. Child rights are required to be protected more strictly. Protection of children under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (hereafter POCSO Act) is widely and broadly explained, but still many children have been victims of various cruelties and sufferings. Child Labor which is widely seen in India is also illegal as per law but still it is evident that there are lakhs and lakhs of children under the age of 14 still working. Information Technology Act, 2000 also talks about the punishments for sharing of obscene materials. Exposure of children to pornography is highly dangerous for their mental as well as physical health. Obscene material on the internet also adds no good to the people but further deteriorates a decent mind and loss of a dignified life for the victims. Approximately 548 million times the word adult content is searched on the internet per year.