Safeguarding Childhood: Recognition, Assessment, Management and a Comprehensive Response to Child Maltreatment utilising the POCSO Act

Abstract

Child abuse and child maltreatment are not uncommon in the world, and the police and medical professionals should keep this in mind while dealing with children. There are different reasons in different parts of the world that make children more prone to child maltreatment. There are different types of child maltreatment, which include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, domestic abuse, exploitation of children and neglect. Child maltreatment needs to be recognised and reported by the various persons encountering the abused children. If, upon investigation, child abuse is substantiated, then a suitable response should be there so that the child can be protected from further abuse, and the offender is punished suitably. The victim child needs to be treated by the medical professionals appropriately and rehabilitated by the concerned government agencies. In India, in cases of sexual abuse, cases are dealt under the POCSO Act, and medical and police professionals need to know the provisions of the Act for managing the cases of child sexual abuse so that they are not negligent in managing the cases.