Child abusers will henceforth face stringent punishment under the new Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Rules, 2020 which enables the recent amendments made to the POCSO act, Business Standard reported.

Some of the new additions to the act include the provision of mandatory police verification of staff in schools and care homes, provisions for reporting sexual abuse material (pornography), allowing age-appropriate child rights education, among others.

For exercising control over child pornography, the provisions state that ‘any person who has received any pornographic material involving a child or any information regarding such pornographic material being stored, possessed, distributed, circulated, transmitted, facilitated, propagated or displayed, or is likely to be distributed, facilitated or transmitted in any manner, shall report the contents to the special juvenile police unit (SJPU) or police, or the cybercrime portal’.

‘The report shall include the details of the device in which such pornographic content was noticed and the suspected device from which such content was received including the platform on which the content was displayed,’ the rules clarify.

The state governments, under the rules, have been asked to form a ‘zero-tolerance’ child protection policy for violence against children. The policy shall be adopted by all institutions, organisations, or any other agency working with or coming in contact with children.

‘The central government and every state government shall provide periodic training including orientation programmes, sensitisation workshops and refresher courses to all persons, whether regular or contractual, coming in contact with the children, to sensitise them about child safety and protection and educate them regarding their responsibility under the Act,’ the rules said.

The Centre and state governments have been ordered to prepare age-appropriate educational material and curriculum for children, apprising them about various aspects of personal safety, including ways to shield their physical and virtual identity; and to safeguard their emotional and mental wellbeing, prevention from sexual offences and reporting mechanisms, including Childline helpline services through toll-free number – 1098.

‘Orientation programme and intensive courses may also be organised for police personnel and forensic experts for building their capacities in their respective roles on a regular basis,’ it said.

Under the fresh rules, any institution with children or coming in regular contact with children, including schools, creches, sports academies must ensure a police verification and background check on a recurrent basis of every staff.

The new POCSO rules came into force from March 9. The POCSO Act was established in 2012 to bring the protection of children from sexual offences and pornography under the legal framework while safeguarding the interests of children at every level of the judicial process.

Also Read: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Orders To Set Up 22 Fast-Track Courts For POCSO, Rape Cases