For at least the second time this year, the judiciary’s understanding of the POCSO Act and its provisions on child sexual abuse material (CSAM, more widely referred to as child pornography) has come under the scanner. The Supreme Court rightly slammed the judgement, as the high court’s verdict was an incorrect reading of the two laws. The case simultaneously illustrates the relatively far-sighted approach of a law that is over a decade old and the still-patchy understanding of the Act, and possibly the crime itself. CSAM is a particularly heinous crime in that it perpetuates the sexual violence against a child. Leaving aside the correlation between consumption of CSAM and contact abuse, the perpetuation of the abuse through its circulation and viewing retraumatises the child.

Source: Indian Express May 21, 2024 01:56 UTC