POCSO cases shows slight decrease in 2024 as Kerala police registered 4594 cases, Tvm tops the list

Alappuzha: Last year, Kerala police registered 4,594 cases related to sexual offenses against children. Out of this, the highest number of cases was in Thiruvananthapuram district – 602, while the least was in Kasaragod – 155. In 2023, 4,641 POCSO cases were registered, a decrease of 47 cases.

However, officials from the Child Protection Committee and lawyers clarify that the decrease in cases should not be considered as a reduction in sexual offenses against children. In many cases, multiple perpetrators are convicted. In many private schools, there are no counselors, which may lead to offenses going unreported.

Child rights activists say that in the registered cases, there is an increasing trend of sexual behavior between students, with mutual consent involved.

Sexual offenses against boys go up

According to the commission’s data, in 2022, 13% of the POCSO cases registered were related to sexual offenses against boys. In 2023, this figure increased to 14%. Officials from the Child Protection Committee noted that there is an increasing trend of sexual offenses being registered against boys.

The burden of proving innocence lies with the accused

Under normal circumstances, the responsibility to prove guilt lies with the prosecution. However, in offenses against women and children, the burden of proving innocence falls on the accused. Strict legal action can help reduce such offenses in the future.