Sexual Offences Against Children: What Should Schools Keep In Mind?

Incidents of sexual offences against children in schools are a cause of grave concern not only for the parents but also for the school administration which comes under heavy scrutiny of the parents, the Government, the police authorities and the media. It therefore, becomes imperative for schools to be aware of the current legal framework and implications there under, so as to implement appropriate measures to prevent occurrence of such incidents in the first place and the appropriate protocol to follow within the confines of the law in case of occurrence of such an unfortunate incident in their schools.

A. LEGAL FRAMEWORK.

• POCSO Act: The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 ("POCSO Act") provides protection to children from sexual abuse and prescribes punishment by way of imprisonment and fine for sexual offences against children. Further, where such offences are committed by persons who are in the ownership/management of staff of educational